WALES

Assembly Elections

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what responsibility he has for amendments to electoral law in relation to elections to the National Assembly for Wales.

Paul Murphy: I am responsible for making provisions, under section 11 of the Government of Wales Act 1998, in relation to the arrangements for Assembly elections. These provisions are set out in the National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 1999 (SI 1999 No. 450). Earlier this year, important amendments were made to these provisions.
	I am currently considering further changes, with a view to bringing arrangements for the 2003 Assembly elections into line with those for elections to this House.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Refurbishment Projects

Joan Walley: To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what refurbishment projects (a) are in progress and (b) will start within the next six months; and what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure certified timber.

Derek Conway: The major projects currently in progress are:
	Norman Shaw South
	Victoria Tower archive storage
	Replacement of main Palace boilers and chillers.
	The major maintenance and refurbishment projects due to start within the next six months are:
	Refurbishment of Committee Rooms 7, 8 and 9
	Commons Court and Commons Inner Court stone restoration
	Ladies' Gallery lift overhaul
	Stone restoration and security near base of Clock Tower
	Removal of huts and restoration of Speaker's Green
	Removal of roof-top huts in Cloister Court
	Basement plant room modernisation
	Asbestos removal
	Encaustic tile replacement, St. Stephen's Hall
	New Palace Yard and Black Rod's Garden security works
	Fire precautions and PDVN
	Hansard office reorganisation.
	In addition, the following major projects are due to start within the next six months in the House of Lords:
	Old Palace Yard phase 3
	Asphalt roof near Chancellor's Court
	Moses Room roof and ceiling.
	In 2000 a clause was added to the General Specification used for parliamentary projects requiring certification that timber is supplied from sustainably managed sources. For contracts written before that, certification is nevertheless sought from the contractors.

Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

David Winnick: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many days a week the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is working; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: holding answer 13 June 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for North-West Hampshire (Sir George Young) on 12 June 2002, Official Report, columns 1245–46W.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Members of Parliament

Patsy Calton: To ask the Minister for Women what steps the Government have taken to remove the barriers to women's membership of Parliament.

Patricia Hewitt: The Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Bill completed its parliamentary stages on 28 January, and received Royal Assent in February. The Act enables political parties to use positive measures in the selection of candidates with an aim to reduce inequality in the numbers of men and women elected to our democratic institutions.

Employment Law (Transsexuals)

Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister for Women what assessment she has made about the applicability of employment law relating to a transsexual person who is now a woman.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 20 May 2002
	The Sex Discrimination Act (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999 amended the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 in the fields of employment and vocational training to give protection against discrimination to people intending to undergo, undergoing, or who have undergone gender reassignment. The regulations help individuals who undergo reassignment to either sex. The Equal Opportunities Commission's powers were extended by the regulations so it can help people experiencing discrimination on these grounds. The commission is taking this forward effectively, and about two thirds of the requests it receives relate to employment or vocational training. A few individuals have taken cases to employment tribunals under the normal process for sex discrimination claims.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Correspondence

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many letters were received by each Minister in his Department in each month since June 1997.

Jack Straw: The Cabinet Office publishes an annual report to Parliament on the volume of Members' correspondence received by Departments. The report for 2001 was published on Friday 24 May. Copies of previous reports are available in the Library of the House.
	Records of other correspondence received by my Department are not kept centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Correspondence

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to provide the first of the monthly updates for the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam concerning the case of his constituent Mr. Jason Clark's father.

Mike O'Brien: Friday 21 June.

Consultation

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the public consultations undertaken by his Department since June 2001, stating in each case the (a) number of respondents and (b) percentage of those specifically consulted who responded.

Jack Straw: My Department has undertaken two formal written public consultations since June 2001:
	(1) A Green Paper on Private Military Companies—options for regulation; and
	(2) A Green Paper on Strengthening the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention: Countering the Threat from biological Weapons. Neither consultation will be completed until September this year.

Middle East

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Palestinians from the Church of the Nativity resident in (a) the Irish Republic and (b) other parts of the EU will be free to travel to the United Kingdom; and what steps will be taken to monitor attempts to enter the United Kingdom.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The Common Position of the Council of the European Union concerning the temporary reception by member states of the European Union of certain Palestinians provides that acceptance in a member state does not imply a right for the persons concerned to move freely within the territories of the member states and that the validity of the national permit shall be limited to the territory of the member state concerned.
	Any Palestinian received in another member state who sought to travel to the UK would normally require a visa for that purpose which, if applied for, would be considered in the normal way. Entry to the UK from the Republic of Ireland is governed by the Immigration Act 1971 and the Immigration (Control of Entry through the Republic of Ireland) Order 1972 and any visa national who enters the UK without the requisite visa is an illegal entrant. The normal expectation is that such an illegal entrant would be returned to the Republic of Ireland.
	Movements into and out of the United Kingdom will be monitored in the usual way.

Staff Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Department has spent on staff training and development in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has spent the following on training and development for UK-based and local staff both in the UK and overseas.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997–98 6,261,972 
			 1998–99 7,233,036 
			 1999–2000 6,671,147 
			 2000–01 9,874,047 
			 2001–02 11,331,631

Sustainable Development

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 23 May 2002, Official Report, column 528W, on the EU meeting at Brussels, if he will make a statement on the nature and aim of the substantive contribution by relevant council bodies on the EU's role in the World Summit on Sustainable Development process; and if he will list the bodies involved in making that contribution.

Peter Hain: The Seville European Council is the opportunity for the EU to finalise its preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). The European Council Conclusions should set out major EU priorities for Johannesburg, focusing on poverty eradication and key initiatives such as freshwater and sanitation, and sustainable energy.
	The Development Council, General Affairs Council and Seville European Council are all involved in producing the Conclusions, incorporating contributions from ECOFIN, the Environment Council and Article 133 Committee on trade. The Development Council of 30 May has for example already agreed substantive Conclusions setting out key priorities for action that the EU would like to be taken up at WSSD and detailing the external dimension of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy. Copies of these are available on the EU Council of Ministers website at http://ue.eu.int/pressData/en/dev/ 70867.pdf.

President Mugabe

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he was informed of the intention of President Mugabe to travel to Rome via the United Kingdom; what steps he took; and what steps he will take in future to prevent such transfers.

Denis MacShane: We understand that Mugabe and his entourage flew directly from Harare to Rome and, contrary to media reports, did not transit London.

High Commission, Harare

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Jubilee celebrations took place at the high commission in Harare; what the costs were; and which Zimbabwean nationals were invited to the functions hosted by the high commissioner and his officials during the Jubilee celebrations.

Jack Straw: To mark the Jubilee, the high commissioner hosted a reception at his residence on the afternoon of Friday 31 May. A few bills have still to be presented, but the cost of the event to date is £6,953.88. 781 guests and their partners were invited. We do not have a record of the nationality of the guests, but the high commission estimates that about half were Zimbabwean nationals. No Zimbabwean on the EU travel ban list was invited.

High Commission, Harare

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines exist with regard to officials from the high commission in Harare visiting farms which have been seized or are under threat of seizure; and how many farms have been visited since January.

Jack Straw: There are no guidelines on British high commission staff visiting farms. Since January, high commission officials have visited around half a dozen farms to which they were invited, in order to see the situation at first hand. As a result of the attention focused on British Government policy and activity during the presidential election campaign, and the overall level of political violence, high commission staff remained in Harare in the period 20 February to 20 March, unless given specific permission by the high commissioner to travel internally. This curtailed visits to rural areas. The high commission is also aware that in current circumstances some farmers do not think it helpful to have a British diplomat visit their farm since this would expose them to further harassment by the authorities.

11 September

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether officers from (a) MI6 and (b) the British embassy in Washington have been requested to give evidence to the United States congressional hearings into the intelligence context of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.

Jack Straw: No British official has to date been requested to give evidence to the United States congressional hearings.

Parliamentary Questions

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidelines issued for civil servants in his Department on answering written questions.

Jack Straw: Yes. There are two sets of guidance: a brief one, enclosed with our request for draft FCO written answers; a more detailed guide relating to such questions on the FCO intranet site. Both sets of guidance have already been made public.

Kisangani

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has had with the Government of (a) the Democratic Republic of Congo and (b) Rwanda regarding the reported massacre in Kisangani of civilians by Rwandan soldiers.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, along with his French, Belgian and US counterparts, wrote to the Presidents of Rwanda and the DRC following the recent events in Kisangani. They expressed concern about the situation in Kisangani and urged President Kagame to exert his influence on the RCD-G to reduce tension in Kisangani and stop the use of force against the civilian population. At the same time they urged President Kabila to refrain from any action that could escalate the military situation on the ground.

Gibraltar

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is Government policy to seek a Spanish commitment to operate unhindered red and green customs channels between that country and Gibraltar.

Jack Straw: The Government have, in the course of the Brussels Process talks, consistently urged the Spanish Government to ensure that traffic flows smoothly from Gibraltar into Spain.
	We welcome the fact that, on 21 March, the Spanish Government opened a new second channel aimed at significantly seeding up the passage of private vehicles across the border.
	We shall continue to monitor the situation and discuss with Spanish and Gibraltarian authorities how delays might be further reduced.

Gibraltar

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the people of Gibraltar's rights in the free movement of services, capital and persons as (a) EU citizens and (b) a constituent territory of the EU.

Jack Straw: The people of Gibraltar enjoy the benefits of free movement of persons, services and capital by virtue of the provisions of Community law relating to these matters, as far as they apply to Gibraltar. I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 June 2002, Official Report, column 821W.

Gibraltar

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on (a) the provision of more telephone lines for Gibraltar and (b) recognition from Spain of the Gibraltar international dialling code.

Jack Straw: We remain concerned about the various telecommunications problems that Gibraltar is experiencing. We are concerned that the new telephone numbers offered by Spain at the 26 July Brussels Process Ministerial meeting are still not in use. We have raised this with the Spanish; and invited experts from the Government of Gibraltar to a meeting, with Spain and us, to seek a way forward. But we have always said that more numbers alone will not solve the longer term problems. Our objective remains Spanish recognition of Gibraltar's international dialling code, which we believe is the only viable long-term solution.

Gibraltar

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is Government policy to seek Spanish commitment to open up maritime and air links between that country and Gibraltar.

Jack Straw: Yes. In accordance with the terms of the Brussels Communique, November 1984, the talks under the Brussels Process are aimed at overcoming all the differences between the UK and Spain over Gibraltar and at promoting co-operation on a mutually beneficial basis on economic, cultural, touristic, aviation, military and environment matters. These talks are continuing.

Gibraltar

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is Government policy to seek the recognition of Gibraltarian identity cards by Spain.

Jack Straw: Yes. It has been the Government's policy to seek recognition by Spain of Gibraltar ID cards. This was achieved as part of the agreement concluded with Spain in April 2000.
	Gibraltar ID cards, as reformatted, are therefore now accepted by the Spanish Government.

BBC World Service

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 22 October 2001, Official Report, column 19W, on the BBC World Service, what extra funding has been given to regional language services to the Muslim world; and what further action he proposes to take in relation to such services.

Denis MacShane: We have provided the World Service with an extra £2.85 million for the enhancement of regional language services after 11 September 2001. This is additional to an uplift of £64 million in funding for the World Service for the present Spending Review period. The uplift over the baseline in this FY alone is £24 million. We maintain constant contact with the World Service over a range of issues, including funding.

EU Applicants

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library the Government's assessment of the economic and social impact on the United Kingdom of the accession to the EU of the eastern European applicant nations.

Peter Hain: The Government have not made an integrated study of the economic and social impact of EU enlargement on the United Kingdom. However, independent economic studies by the European Round Table of Industrialists and the Centre for Economic Policy Reform show that EU enlargement could increase UK GDP by £1.75 million and create 300,000 jobs among the EU-15. I have placed copies of these reports in the House of Commons Library.

European Diplomatic Service

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the setting up of a common European diplomatic service.

Jack Straw: We believe that it is for EU member states to organise their respective diplomatic services at the national level. There are already 138 bilateral and five multilateral European Commission delegations overseas.

Tibet

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he made to Vice Premier Wen Jiabao and other Chinese leaders concerning the situation in Tibet during his recent visit to China; and what replies he received.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not visited China recently. He most recently raised Tibet with his Chinese counterpart Tang Jiaxuan in January this year.

Tibet

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) discussions he had with and (b) representations he made to Li Ruihuan, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, concerning the situation in Tibet, during Chairman Li's recent visit to the UK; and what response he received.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not meet Li Ruihuan during his recent visit to the UK. However, the Lord Chancellor raised a range of human rights issues, including Tibet during his meeting with Li Ruihuan last month. Li Ruihuan's response was along standard lines.

General Affairs Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome of the General Affairs Council meeting of 10 and 11 June was; what the Government's stance on the issues discussed, including its voting record was; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the General Affairs Council at Luxembourg on 10 June.

Peter Hain: I represented the UK at the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 10 June.
	Enlargement
	The Council welcomed progress made under the Spanish presidency, including on aspects of the agriculture chapter. The Council instructed experts to pursue work on the question of direct payment.
	The Council reaffirmed the Union's commitment to an inclusive approach to enlargement. The Council reiterated its determination to bring the accession negotiations with the candidate countries that are ready to a successful conclusion by the end of 2002. In that context, it welcomed the Commission's proposals for strengthening the candidate countries' administrative capacity, and the provision of further special financial assistance from the PHARE programme. It called on the Commission to continue with regular monitoring of candidate countries' practical implementation of the Community acquis.
	Additional customs duties on imports of certain US products
	The Council gave unanimous support to the Commission's proposal for a regulation on additional custom duties for certain US products. This will be formally adopted at the 13 June JHA Council, entering into force by 18 June to meet the WTO deadline.
	India/Pakistan
	The Council expressed grave concern about the crisis between India and Pakistan. It called on Pakistan to take visible, decisive and verifiable steps to: seal the Line of Control; restrain, and stop supply of, militant groups in Kashmir; and close the training camps on Pakistan's side of the Line of Control. The Council called for diplomatic and military de-escalation, implementation of a ceasefire and the resumption of dialogue. The Council underlined the EU's commitment to help defuse the immediate crisis, and to support efforts to achieve a lasting resolution to the differences between India and Pakistan.

New Partnership for Africa's Development

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the NEPAD initiative to be implemented.

Denis MacShane: The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NePAD) is an African-led initiative which acknowledges that Africa's development requires long- term commitments. The pace of its development and implementation will be set by Africa's leaders.

New Partnership for Africa's Development

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with Governments in Africa concerning the NEPAD initiative.

Denis MacShane: My noble Friend Baroness Amos, the Prime Minister's personal representative to the G8 on Africa, has frequent discussions with African leaders concerning NePAD. For example, she had extensive discussions with members of the NePAD steering committee on 16–18 May in Maputo.

Zimbabwe

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which international organisations Zimbabweans subject to an EU travel ban are allowed to attend.

Jack Straw: International treaty obligations oblige EU member states to grant exemptions to the travel ban for attendance at meetings of some international organisations, for example, the United Nations and Interpol. Restrictions remain on movement outside of meetings.

Zimbabwe

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to take further measures against the Government of Zimbabwe following the re-election of President Mugabe.

Denis MacShane: Zimbabwe will be discussed today at the General Affairs Council. EU Foreign Ministers will review developments on the ground. Extending measures against Zimbabwe's ruling party remains under consideration.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Defence Lawyers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Solicitor-General what obligation rests on a defence lawyer to (a) ascertain and (b) believe the truth of matter pleaded in defence.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 14 May 2002
	These obligations are set out in the professional codes of conduct of the Bar Council and the Law Society.

Leila Khalid

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Solicitor-General what outstanding charges there are against Leila Khalid; and if he will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 24 May 2002
	No criminal charges were ever brought against Leila Khalid in this country; to the best of my knowledge there are no warrants or criminal proceedings in relation to Ms Khalid in this jurisdiction. Therefore none remain outstanding.

Leila Khalid

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a decision on the outstanding charges against Leila Khalid arising out of hijackings with a view to prosecution; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 24 May 2002
	No criminal charges were ever brought against Leila Khalid in this country, therefore none remain outstanding; to the best of my knowledge there are no warrants or criminal proceedings in relation to Ms Khalid in this jurisdiction. It follows that there is no decision to be made.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Teachers' Pay

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) total teachers pay costs and (b) average teachers pay were in each LEA in 2001–02.

David Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Higher Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 3 December 2001, Official Report, column 68W, regarding unit spending per student, what the percentage change in unit of funding per student was in 2000–01; and what she expects it to be in 2001–02.

Margaret Hodge: Between 1989 and 1997, planned public funding fell by 36 per cent. from just under £7,600 to just over £4,800 per full time equivalent student.
	The Dearing report concluded that higher education institutions could not absorb further reductions of over 6 per cent. in the funding per student, which were in the plans of the previous Government.
	Following the last spending review, the Government's spending plans for higher education have reversed the decline in funding over the last decade. Publicly planned funding for higher education announced in November 2000, did reflect a 0.4 per cent. decrease in funding per full time equivalent student in real terms in 2000–01, compared to the previous year. But for 2001–02, the unit of funding in real terms was planned to increase by 0.7 per cent. compared to 2000–01.
	In addition to the funding for teaching and research the higher education sector received an additional £166 million in 1999–2000 and £242.5 million in 2000–01 for capital and to help widen access to higher education. It is planned that a further £359 million will be available in 2001–02. With this additional funding the unit of funding per student provided by this Department for 2001–02 in cash terms, will be £5,350.
	The Government are investing, in partnership with the Welcome Trust, a total of £1.75 billion in science infrastructure between 1999–2000 to 2003–04.

Higher Education

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the courses of study in higher education institutions, broken down by the proportion of undergraduate students of each social class.

Margaret Hodge: The available information on the social class of undergraduate students in UK higher education institutions relates to accepted applicants to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and not all undergraduate courses and students. The UCAS data can be broken down into broad subject categories and into First Degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) courses. The latest UCAS figures are shown in the table.
	
		Proportion of UK domiciled applicants accepted through UCAS(1) to full-time undergraduate HE courses, by subject group, course type and social class(2)
		
			  Social class(3) (per cent.) Accepted applicants  
			 Subject group and course type(4) Professional (I) Intermediate (II) Skilled non-manual (IIIN) Skilled manual (IIIM) Partly skilled (IV) Unskilled (V) Known total Grand total(5) 
		
		
			 Medicine/dentistry 
			 First degree 39 40 9 8 4 1 5,940 6,523 
			 Subjects allied to medicine 
			 First degree 13 43 14 18 10 2 19,966 23,265 
			 HND 8 39 14 23 12 3 740 1,025 
			 Total 12 43 14 18 11 2 20,766 24,290 
			 Biological sciences 
			 First degree 17 16 13 18 7 2 14,701 16,432 
			 HND 8 32 16 26 14 2 192 235 
			 Total 17 45 13 16 7 2 14,663 16,667 
			 Agriculture and related subjects 
			 First degree 16 51 11 13 8 1 2,184 2,495 
			 HND 8 47 13 17 13 2 1,039 1,298 
			 Total 14 50 11 14 10 1 3,223 3,793 
			 Physical science 
			 First degree 19 44 13 16 7 2 10,927 12,028 
			 HND 11 32 14 26 11 6 202 263 
			 Total 19 44 13 16 7 2 11,129 12,292 
			 Mathematical sciences and informatics 
			 First degree 13 38 15 20 9 3 21,697 26,343 
			 HND 8 35 16 24 11 5 4,205 5,915 
			 Total 12 39 16 21 9 3 25,902 32,268 
			 Engineering and technology 
			 First degree 18 41 11 19 8 2 13,234 15,452 
			 HND 12 34 12 28 10 3 1,097 1,444 
			 Total 18 41 11 20 8 2 14,331 16,895 
			 Architecture, building and planning 
			 First degree 16 43 12 20 7 2 4,162 4,927 
			 HND 9 32 12 34 10 1 386 477 
			 Total 16 42 12 21 8 2 4,527 5,404 
			 Social studies 
			 First degree 15 45 14 16 8 2 31,727 38,716 
			 HND 5 31 16 26 18 5 579 978 
			 Total 15 44 14 18 8 2 32,406 37,694 
			 Business and administrative studies 
			 First degree 12 45 16 18 8 2 25,753 30,104 
			 HND 8 39 16 23 10 4 4,676 6,284 
			 Total 11 44 15 19 8 2 30,429 36,355 
			  Mass communications and documentation   
			 First degree 11 45 16 19 8 2 7,208 5,475 
			 HND 6 38 17 25 12 4 1,145 1,529 
			 Total 10 44 15 20 9 2 8,354 10,004 
			 Languages and related disciplines 
			 First degree 16 48 14 13 8 1 14,905 16,573 
			 Humanities 
			 First degree 19 47 13 13 6 1 9,859 11,045 
			 HND 14 14 14 29 14 14 7 9 
			 Total 19 47 15 13 6 1 9,866 11,054 
			 Creative arts 
			 First degree 13 46 14 17 8 2 23,408 28,709 
			 HND 8 38 17 23 11 2 3,888 5,070 
			 Total 13 45 14 18 9 2 27,074 33,779 
			 Education 
			 First degree 9 40 16 21 12 2 12,010 13,731 
			 HND 5 34 16 28 15 2 530 697 
			 Total 9 40 16 21 12 2 12,540 14,428 
			 Combined studies 
			 First degree 14 45 14 17 6 2 38,558 45,238 
			 HND 7 39 18 26 11 3 1,860 2,191 
			 Total 14 45 14 17 8 2 40,208 47,429 
			  
			 All first degree courses 15 44 14 17 8 2 256,259 298,057 
			 All HND courses 8 37 16 24 11 4 20,224 27,415 
			 Total all courses 14 44 14 18 6 2 276,483 325,472 
		
	
	(1) Covers all UK higher education institutions and some specialist colleges of further education.
	(2) Year of entry: 2001.
	(3) The social class percentages are based on the number of accepted applicants for which social class is known.
	(4) First degree or HND courses. HNDs are not offered in all subject areas.
	(5) Including unknowns.
	Source:
	Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

School Meals (Garrison Towns)

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the validity of the use of the number of children receiving free school meals as an indicator of need in garrison towns.

Stephen Twigg: None, specifically in connection with garrison towns. Within the data collected by the Department annually from schools, the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is an established indicator of socio-economic disadvantage. It has been used by the Department as one measure for grouping schools to allow comparisons of the performance of similar schools in the autumn package of pupil performance. This package is provided to assist them in the process of target setting and school improvement.
	The Department is now engaged in a programme of establishing measures of pupil progress from one Key Stage to the next, and it is proposed that this year's secondary schools performance tables will contain two indicators of 'value added' based on such information.

Secondary Schools

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what review she is undertaking of the capacity of secondary schools.

David Miliband: The capacity of all maintained mainstream schools is currently being reassessed using the new net capacity assessment method. This work is currently planned to be completed by November 2002.

British Sign Language

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether she intends to include British Sign Language within the personal, social and health education component of the national curriculum.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 10 June 2002
	We have no plans to include British Sign Language in the national curriculum. Schools that wish to do so can offer British Sign Language lessons to their pupils as part of the wider school curriculum. Teaching additional subjects, such as sign language will usually be built around the skills and strengths of the teaching staff and the learning needs of their pupils.

Sector Skills Councils

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the chairs of the sector skills councils will be announced; when all the members of the sector skills councils will be confirmed; and what arrangements have been made for the staff of national training organisations during the transitions to sector skills councils.

Ivan Lewis: There is no set timetable for the introduction of the new sector skills network. Sector skills councils (SSCs) will be introduced only in sectors where employers want one and the SSC standard is met. One requirement is for the SSC to have a senior level board and chair, representative of the sector. As SSCs are licensed information about them, including their board, will be published by the SSDA.
	The ending of Government recognition of national training organisations (NTOs) and the licensing of sector skills councils (SSCs) are separate issues. Organisations that were formerly recognised as NTOs are independent bodies. The continued funding, operation and staffing of former NTOs is a decision for the board of each organisation.

Apprenticeships

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many modern apprenticeships were (a) commenced and (b) completed in each year since the scheme's inauguration; what percentage of modern apprenticeships are not completed; and what the annual cost has been of the modern apprenticeship scheme.

Ivan Lewis: (a) Information on starts and qualification success rates is published in a statistical first release (SFR 03/2002 'TEC/LSC Delivered Government Supported Work-Based Learning—England: Volumes and Outcomes'), which is available in the Library of the House.
	
		Modern apprenticeships
		
			Qualification success rates of leavers  
			 Financial year MA starts (000s) Percentage who achieve level 2 or above on FMA Percentage who achieve level 3 or above on AMA 
		
		
			 1995–96 25.8 — 9 
			 1996–97 70.3 — 22 
			 1997–98 84.2 — 27 
			 1998–99 119.1 — 36 
			 1999–2000 170.7 36 48 
			 2000–01 188.3 45 49 
		
	
	Source:
	SFR 03/2002, tables 1 and 3.
	(b) Information on completion of modern apprenticeship frameworks is not available.
	Accurate figures for annual expenditure on MAs are not available but the total MA spend since 1997 is estimated to have been well in excess of £1 billion.

Apprenticeships

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many traditional apprenticeships were (a) commenced and (b) completed in each of the last three years that they were running.

Ivan Lewis: Data on traditional apprenticeships commenced and completed are not available. We do have estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) on the number of recognised trade apprentices at any one time and these are given in the table for the each of the last three years.
	
		Number (Thousand) 
		
			 Year All Male Female 
		
		
			 1999 207 172 35 
			 2000 223 183 39 
			 2001 202 169 32 
		
	
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey, 1999–2001, United Kingdom

Apprenticeships

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the financing of modern apprenticeships with particular reference to differences of treatment relating to age.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. I have therefore asked John Harwood, the council's chief executive, to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and to place a copy of his reply in the Library.

School Funding (Leicestershire)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much additional resources have been given to (a) Rushey Mead School, Green Academy, (b) Judgemeadow School and (c) Northfields House Primary as a result of their new status.

David Miliband: Rushey Mead School has been awarded £3,963,827 to provide a Green Academy; Judgemeadow School has been awarded £100,000 of capital funding to improve its facilities for teaching modern foreign languages and will receive £495,862 in the period September 1999 to August 2003 to deliver its language college development plans (based on pupil numbers in January 2001) and Northfield House Primary has been awarded £365,700 of funding from the Space for Sport and Arts project.

Small Schools

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much of the Small Schools Fund was spent in 2001–02.

David Miliband: holding answer 13 June 2002
	In 2001–02 £80 million was allocated for the Small Schools Fund through the Standards Fund. Of this, local education authorities accepted 98 per cent. (£78.2 million). Under the Standards Fund arrangements for 2001–02, schools and local education authorities are able to carry forward unspent grant into the 2002–03 financial year. The Department does not currently hold information on the extent to which schools or local education authorities have chosen to carry forward this grant.

Clinical Veterinary Teaching

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when her Department or its predecessor last reviewed the financial arrangements for clinical veterinary teaching.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 13 June 2002
	The review of financial arrangements for veterinary teaching, are a matter for the Higher Education Funding Council for England to consider.

Disabled Students

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she is taking to improve access for disabled students to overseas courses, with particular reference to (a) physical access problems and (b) access to disability specific benefits.

Margaret Hodge: The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) 2001 makes it unlawful, from September 2002, for providers of post-16 education in Great Britain to discriminate against disabled people. As part of their new statutory duties, institutions will be responsible for ensuring that any overseas institution which receives a disabled student as part of their course at a British institution is able to provide reasonable access in accordance with the requirements of the Act.
	Higher Education students eligible for the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) who have to study abroad as part of their course at a UK institution are entitled to continue to receive the DSA while they are abroad. The disability living allowance (DLA) is payable to people resident in Great Britain. However, payment can continue during the first 26 weeks of any period of temporary absence, so students who return during vacations may receive continuous payments.

Internet Twinning

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the Government's aims at the Seville European Council on the establishment of internet twinning links for secondary schools in the EU.

Margaret Hodge: The European Commission will present its report on helping secondary schools to establish or enhance an internet twinning link with a partner school elsewhere in Europe. The Commission's paper was published on 21 May and sets out proposals for ensuring that school twinning projects are effective. We believe there are considerable potential educational benefits in extending school twinning, so we welcome the Commission's input and look forward to discussing with other member states how work should be taken forward on this issue.

Medical Education

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the funding allocations to medical education relative to other branches of higher education.

Margaret Hodge: Funding allocations for medical education are made by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) as described in the HEFCE publication 'Funding higher education in England—How the HEFCE allocates its funds' (Guide April 02/18).
	The HEFCE funding methodology allocates funding over four price groups. Group D forms the base allocation. Group A, the highest, contains medical, dentistry and veterinary science courses. These are funded at four and a half times the base level, and in 2002–03, will be equal to £12,915 per annum per full-time student place.

Children in Care

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of children who lived (a) in a residential care home and (b) with foster parents went into higher education in the last five years for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: The requested information is not held centrally.

Tuition Fees

David Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was in 2001 to (a) the universities and (b) the Government of administering university tuition fees, broken down by (i) publicity and information costs and (ii) costs incurred as a result of non-payment of fees.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not available. Government funding of higher education institutions in England through the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) takes account of the cost to universities and colleges of administering tuition fees. The forecast income that institutions receive from student contributions to fees is abated by 5 per cent. for collection of fees and any default. For 2001–02, that amounts to an estimated £18.2 million. The latest survey of the non-payment of fee contributions, published by Universities UK in November 2001, found that the amount unpaid at July 2001 across the UK was well within the 5 per cent. set aside for administration and default.

University Staff (Redundancies)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many academic staff in each university in England and Wales were made redundant in each year since 1996.

Margaret Hodge: The requested information is not held centrally.

Sixth Form Provision

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what impact this year's funding proposals will have on the Government's policy of bridging the funding gap between sixth form schools, sixth form colleges and community colleges who provide sixth form provision.

Margaret Hodge: The Government remain committed to bringing up the level of funding for colleges towards that of schools. We have always made it clear that we must look to the spending review settlement for 2003–04 and beyond to address this issue. We will make a further announcement when the outcome of the spending review is known.

Young Carers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance her Department issues to (a) schools and (b) local education authorities on identifying and supporting young carers.

Stephen Twigg: The Department for Education and Skills issued guidance to schools on supporting young carers in the circular 10–99, Social Inclusion: Pupil Support, sent in July 1999 to the chairs of governors and heads of maintained schools in England.

Further Education Finance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the pay levels of (a) college lecturers and (b) school sixth form teachers.

Margaret Hodge: Pay and conditions for teachers in maintained schools, including those with sixth forms, is determined on a statutory basis under the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1991. The pay and terms and conditions of lecturers who work in sixth form colleges and general further education colleges are matters for individual colleges as the employer to determine, in discussion with the relevant unions. A wide range of pay and conditions now exist in the FE sector, reflecting the diverse needs of the colleges' local communities and colleges' individual decisions on implementing the nationally recommended pay settlement each year.

Further Education Finance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to review the pay levels of college lecturers; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: We have no plans to review the pay levels of college lecturers. The Department contributed financially to the production of the "Association of Colleges and Joint Unions, National Review of Staffing and Pay in Further Education" published in March 2001.
	As independent organisations, it is for colleges in discussion with relevant representative bodies to determine the pay and terms of conditions of their staff.

Ofsted

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will include in future Ofsted inspections an assessment of (a) school and (b) local education authority policies and practice in identifying and supporting young carers.

David Miliband: This is a matter for Ofsted. I have asked HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, to write to the hon. Member and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to announce the result of the quinquennial review of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

David Miliband: Following the quinquennial review of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) a report has been published today, outlining the findings of the review and the recommendations that have been made as a result. The report is available in the Library. It can also be seen on the DfES website: "www.dfes.gov.uk/ consultations".

Teachers (Women)

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of teaching staff in UK secondary schools are female.

David Miliband: holding answer 13 June 2002
	In March 2000 (the most recent date for which provisional data are available) 58 per cent. of the teachers in regular full or part time service in maintained secondary schools in England were female.
	Some 10 per cent.—20 per cent. of part-timers are not recorded on the Teachers' Pension Scheme, from which the data are obtained.
	The devolved administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are responsible for the supply of teachers in those countries.

Special Educational Needs (Gloucestershire)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with Gloucestershire County Council about their policy towards special schools; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of special needs provision in Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of statementing in Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 10 June 2002
	Ofsted published a report of its inspection of Gloucestershire Local Education Authority in January this year. My officials have been working with the Authority's officers as the Authority has developed its Post-Inspection Action Plan. The inspection report was critical of the delay in the Authority's development of an inclusive approach to meeting special educational needs [and noted that the process of special school re-organisation had been slow]. It recommended that the Authority should produce a strategy for special educational needs (SEN), which has a swifter timetable for implementation, shows how it will raise standards for pupils and incorporates the Authority's different reviews in a coherent plan.
	The report also recommended that the Authority should work with health authorities and the counties social services department, to reduce the number of cases where exceptional needs prevent the completion of SEN statements within 18 weeks.
	My officials received the Authority's Post Inspection Action plan on 1 May. They will continue to work with the Authority's officers as this Plan is developed and implemented.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Express Newspapers

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  on what basis the then Secretary of State determined that Mr. Richard Desmond was a fit and proper person to control Express Newspapers;
	(2)  what account was taken of the nature of pornographic websites controlled by companies associated with Mr. Richard Desmond when the Secretary of State was considering whether to refer the acquisition of Express Newspapers by the Northern and Shell Group;
	(3)  what factors the then Secretary of State took into account when determining the non-competition issues concerning the acquisition of Express Newspapers by the Northern and Shell Group.

Patricia Hewitt: Since 1984 it has been the policy of successive governments that the primary reason for making a reference will always be the impact of a transaction on competition.
	Further, since October 2000 it has been the stated policy of this Government to accept the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading on whether or not to make a reference in all but exceptional circumstances.
	In this case my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State had regard to the advice of the Office of Fair Trading on competition factors.
	In addition, the fact that Mr. Desmond had adult business interests was drawn to my right hon. Friend before the case was considered and the views of the Home Office, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and a range of third parties on non-competition issues were considered. We did not investigate further Northern and Shell's websites. There was no suggestion that these sites were illegal. The laws on obscenity apply to all publications and to the internet.
	My right hon. Friend therefore took into account all factors which appeared to be relevant at the time before deciding that there was no reason, on competition or non-competition grounds, to refer this case to the Competition Commission.

Internal Communications

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what budget, functions and staff will be under the control of the new head of internal communications in her Department; and what the previous structure and budget was for those functions.

Patricia Hewitt: The internal communications team will initially be five people amounting to four full time equivalents. A budget of £100,000 has been put aside for this financial year. The team's aim will be to identify and implement an internal communications strategy for the DTI so that everyone can contribute to the Department's success by being well-informed and having the opportunity to feed in their own views. The team will publish the DTI's staff newspaper, improve the Department's internal communications systems, particularly the intranet, and raise communication skills across the Department.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of retentions on the profitability of SMEs in the United Kingdom construction industry.

Brian Wilson: The DTI has made no formal assessment of the impact of retentions. The DTI is supporting the efforts of the Strategic Forum for the Construction Industry to address issues of payment and quality assurance; most recently in the "Accelerating Change" consultation document.

Construction Industry

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on the practice of retentions in the construction industry.

Brian Wilson: Since taking over responsibility for sponsoring the construction industry after the general election in June 2001, Ministers at the Department of Trade and Industry have received 83 letters supporting early-day motion number 428 on the practice of retentions in the construction industry.
	The use of retentions is commonplace, resulting from adversarial relationships between the players in the industry, and allegations about defects and poor quality of work.
	DTI is taking a range of steps to address the root causes. "Rethinking Construction" sets out a change process that should lead to fewer defects, and hence progressively reduce the need for retentions. DTI has undertaken considerable work to support constructive procurement principles. However this issue will only be fully resolved when the whole construction industry changes by providing quality, defect-free work that fully meets the needs of contractors and clients.

Renewable Energy

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the targets for the Renewables UK unit in Aberdeen will be published; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: Renewables UK's aim is to maximise the UK's involvement in renewable projects both at home and abroad in terms of jobs and investment in manufacturing, services and supplies. There is an important link between this sector and the oil and gas industry, whose strategic forum—PILOT—has established a number of key aims for the year 2010 including the identification of £1 billion worth of new business opportunities.
	As an initial working target Renewables UK has adopted half this target ie £500 million of new business to the UK in renewables manufacturing, services and supplies by 2010. However, Renewables UK is now working to refine and broaden this target by establishing baseline figures and developing a defined set of metrics. This will include undertaking an employment survey in conjunction with the Renewables Trade Associations to establish the number of current jobs in renewables.
	I have established the Renewables Advisory Board (the interim boards met on 21 May). The board will work closely with Renewables UK to establish a challenging yet achievable set of targets, which will be published.

Coal Industry

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many collieries have closed in each year since 1997 in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) England.

Brian Wilson: The information available shows that the total number of collieries that have closed in Scotland, Wales and England since 1997 is 37.
	The number of closures each year is as follows:
	
		
			  Scotland Wales England 
		
		
			 1997 1 5 6 
			 1998 1 9 3 
			 1999 0 2 3 
			 2000 0 4 1 
			 2001 0 1 0 
			 2002 1 0 0 
		
	
	Source:
	Coal Authority data provided to the Department of Trade and Industry.

North Sea Fiscal Regime

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions regarding the change in the North sea fiscal regime have been conducted with PILOT since the announcement of the 2002 Budget.

Brian Wilson: A number of discussions have taken place with the industry since the Budget of 17 April. Most recently, on 22 May, I met with industry representatives from PILOT to hear their views on the Budget 2002 changes.
	Further discussions will take place at the PILOT meeting in June.

North Sea Fiscal Regime

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how PILOT's stated goals are likely to be affected by the change in the North sea fiscal regime.

Brian Wilson: PILOT, the joint Government/industry forum, has an extensive action programme to improve the industry's competitiveness. It is pursuing a number of visionary targets for 2010 and last year set the interim production and investment targets for 2005. I expect PILOT to continue to monitor progress against these targets. The fiscal regime is one of many influences affecting the success of the industry meeting them. Further discussions on the vision targets will take place at future PILOT meetings.

Fabrication Jobs

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many fabrication jobs there are in Scotland; and how many there were in each of the previous five years;
	(2)  how many fabrication jobs there are in Scotland; and how many there were for each of the previous five years.

Brian Wilson: Numbers employed in Scottish offshore fabrication are estimated at:
	
		
			 Year Number employed 
		
		
			 2002 1,220 
			 2001 415 
			 2000 3,060 
			 1999 4,460 
			 1998 4,180

Unsolicited Faxes

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Telecommunications (Data Protection & Privacy) Regulations 1999 and the IC5715 Code of Conduct in controlling unsolicited faxes.

Stephen Timms: The effectiveness of the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations in controlling unsolicited direct marketing faxes may be monitored by, among other things, looking at levels of registrations with, and complaints to, the Fax Preference Service (FPS); up to date figures on these are available from the Direct Marketing Association, which was appointed to run the Telephone and Fax Preference Services under the regulations. Since the Fax Preference Service was put on a statutory basis in 1999, total registrations have risen from under 15,000 to over 1,000,000; the FPS currently receives about 1,500 complaints a week about faxes, compared to some 700 a week at the end of last year. Information on compliance with the ICSTIS Code of Practice is published in the committee's monthly reports.
	There will be an opportunity to review the regulations in more depth next year when we consult on implementation of the updated version of the European directive on which they are based.

Icelandic Trawlermen (Compensation)

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for compensation in the last five years for the loss of Icelandic fishing have been rejected; and how many remain to be processed.

Nigel Griffiths: Since October 2000, when the Compensation scheme for former Icelandic trawlermen began, a total of 2,872 applications (not including duplicates) have been rejected.
	A total of 4,158 applications have been accepted to end May 2002.
	All applications received have been processed though a number have been referred back to applicants for further information, are being reviewed by officials or are subject to an appeal to the independent adjudicator.

Tyres (Disposal)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many tyres were scrapped in each of the last five years in the UK; how many tonnes this was; and what proportion of the tyres were (a) disposed of in landfill sites, (b) illegally dumped and (c) fly-tipped.

Brian Wilson: The following table provides a guide.
	
		
			  Tyres (million) Tonnes (000s) 
		
		
			 1996 43 484 
			 1997 43 490 
			 1998 46 431 
			 1999 45 427 
			 2000 50 450 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures rounded to nearest million tyres or thousand tonnes.
	Source:
	Used Tyre Working Group.
	Latest available figures are for 2000. The numbers of used tyres disposed of each year and their weight is estimated based on data supplied by tyre manufacturers and importers on replacement tyre sales, statistics from Customs and Excise on import and export trade in used tyre casings and information from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders on the numbers of end-of-life vehicles.
	The method of compiling the statistics was refined in 1998 to improve their accuracy. Accordingly, figures from 1998 forward are not directly comparable with earlier years.
	The numbers of tyres landfilled over the period 1996–99 remained consistent at around 30 per cent. of all tyres disposed of. With the closure of the single largest facility for handling used tyres in 2000, around 37 per cent. of tyres were landfilled that year.
	It is difficult to gather accurate information on the illegal disposal of tyres, with incidences widely dispersed geographically and affecting a variety of local authorities, businesses and individuals. Research undertaken by the Environment Agency indicates that most local authorities experience low levels of fly-tipping, but the cumulative effect can lead to significant total numbers. The Agency has estimated that tyre fly-tipping is collectively costing local authorities around £2 million per annum. There is also substantial local fly-tipping of tyres on agricultural land. Not all tyre fly-tipping is immediately obvious, with significant numbers of tyre retailers experiencing fly-tipping on their forecourts overnight, and subsequently picking up the costs for ensuring responsible disposal and recovery.
	There are occasional large-scale deposits, which in extreme cases can amount to several tens of thousands of tyres. There are generally only one or two incidents of this magnitude each year. A recent survey by the Environment Agency estimated that there are around 21 million tyres in long-term storage. Not all of these will have been illegally deposited.

Business Links

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is towards the repayment of the (a) interest and (b) capital on loans made by Business Link to firms that subsequently suffered a severe loss of business as a result of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

Nigel Griffiths: Business Link Operators have not offered loans to businesses that suffered losses as a result of foot and mouth disease. However, some elements of the Rural Business Recovery Fund were used to assist businesses with interest relief on existing loans. The Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme (operated by high street banks) was extended to bring in scope businesses affected by foot and mouth disease. To date 40 new loans have been granted as a result of the extension. Repayment conditions are the same as loans normally offered under the scheme.

Business Links

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many calls the Business Links Complaints Hotline has received since its inception.

Nigel Griffiths: Since the Business Link Feedback Line began in July 1998 it has received under 100 calls. The vast majority were complaints from clients of the Business Link Network who were unable to solve the problem at a local level.
	I am informed that all the complaints received have been resolved apart from three which are currently being dealt with.

Computers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many computers were replaced in her Department in each of the past three years; how the replaced units were disposed of and by which companies; and at what cost.

Patricia Hewitt: In 1998 my Department HQ entered into a Private Finance Initiative partnership with a consortium led by ICL (now Fujitsu) in conjunction with CMG, known as UNITAS. This arrangement included the transfer of ownership of the vast majority of our computer assets to UNITAS and part of the contractual arrangements in place are that the responsibility for replacing equipment and its disposal when this is necessary lies with them. Part of our normal monthly service charge paid for the provision of our computers includes an element to meet any costs incurred by UNITAS in carrying out this disposal service.
	Where equipment becomes surplus to requirement UNITAS always tries to re-cycle it and, accordingly, the number of PCs disposed of by UNITAS in the last three years has been negligible. Their environmental policy also dictates that any disposals are done in an environmentally friendly manner and appropriate security measures are applied to ensure hard discs are always erased before disposal. Where disposal is necessary UNITAS use a company known as STARS.
	I understand that this question has also been put to the Minister for the Cabinet Office and that the answer to that question will include any replacement and disposal details for DTI staff working in Government Offices in the regions.

Minimum Wage

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had about extending minimum wage protection to 16 to 17-year- olds; and what plans she has to do so.

Alan Johnson: We have no plans to extend the minimum wage to 16 to 17-year-olds. However, I recently announced new terms of reference for the Low Pay Commission and will of course carefully consider any recommendations made on this issue in their next report.

Sub-post Offices

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many sub-post offices in Scotland have reduced their opening hours in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 6 February 2002, Official Report, column 967W.

Sustainable Development

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on sustainable development.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 13 June 2002
	The Government set out its policy on sustainable development in the White Paper "A better quality of life: A strategy for sustainable development for the UK" [Cm 4345] published in May 1999. The Government's Sustainable Development Strategy will inform the proposed Energy White Paper which the Government plans to publish around the turn of the year.

Energy White Policy

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the forthcoming White Paper on energy policy will include a cost benefit analysis.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 13 June 2002
	Energy policy is necessarily concerned with developments over long time periods. The analysis in the White Paper will include an assessment of costs and benefits across a range of impacts, recognising the risks and the inherent uncertainties of such estimation.

Energy White Policy

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many chartered engineers are part of the Energy Strategy Unit tasked with producing the White Paper on the future energy policy;
	(2)  what the engineering and scientific qualifications are of the head of the Energy Strategy Unit;
	(3)  what the (a) composition and (b) structure is of the Energy Strategy Unit;
	(4)  what liaison is carried out by the Energy Strategy Unit with the EU on policy development.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 13 June 2002
	The Energy Strategy Unit is the team tasked with undertaking the consultation on energy policy, following publication earlier this year of the Energy Review and with drafting the energy White Paper which the Government propose to publish around the turn of the year.
	It is composed of a team drawn from DTI, DEFRA, and elsewhere and its work is overseen by a senior cross- departmental group including members from DTI, DEFRA, DoT, HMT and others. Rob Wright, currently Director of Coal Policy in the DTI, has been appointed head of the Energy Strategy Unit. Within the DTI reporting structure, Rob Wright reports to Joan MacNaughton, Director General, Energy.
	The Unit currently has five staff at senior management level, all of whom have first or second degrees in science, engineering, economics or mathematics. In addition, the team draws on a much wider range of experts in similar fields from within and outside Government including the Energy Advisory Panel.
	The Unit is working closely with officials in the FCO, the DTI, DEFRA and other Departments who liaise directly with the European Commission and other member states.

Energy White Policy

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what definition she uses of a low carbon economy; and what the Government's policy is on a low carbon economy.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 13 June 2002
	The UK's Climate Change Programme, issued in November 2000, sets out the Government's approach to the challenge. It is estimated that the proposals in the programme could reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions to about 23 per cent. below 1990 levels in 2010. This is well beyond the Kyoto target. Longer term, the Government believe that global emissions of greenhouse gases may need to be reduced by 60 per cent. to 70 per cent. if we are to avoid dangerous climate change. This will require a major transformation in the way we generate and use energy—essentially a move away from the substantial use of fossil fuels emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere to a low carbon economy.
	The possible nature of such an economy and the means for achieving it was one of the issues considered in the Performance and Innovation Unit's Energy Review report to Government. The Government are currently consulting on the Energy Review and the responses to the consultation will help to shape an energy White Paper, by around the turn of the year.

Departmental Reviews

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the two departmental reviews being undertaken within the Department of Trade and Industry.

Patricia Hewitt: Last year I announced changes to the structure and operation of my Department to improve the way in which it serves business, employees and consumers, 22 November 2001, Official Report, column 398W. Further information was made available in the Department's memorandum to the Trade and Industry committee (Reviews of DTI Structure and Business Support—Minutes of Evidence, 12 December 2001: HC 454-I). My Department's new structure came into being in April, and we are taking forward the other changes I have announced.

Broadband

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets she has set for the roll out of broadband services across the business community; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Government have set a target for the UK to have the most extensive and competitive broadband market in the G7 by 2005.
	The Government have also set a target of having one million SMEs trading online by 2002, which was exceeded in 2000, although the target is technology neutral and not specific to broadband.

BAE Systems

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what meetings her Department has had with representatives of BAE Systems since June 2001.

Alan Johnson: The Department of Trade & Industry's Ministers and officials meet representatives of industry as often as possible, and have met those from BAE Systems on a number of occasions since June 2001.

Aerospace Industry

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what remuneration the Chair of the Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team will be paid.

Alan Johnson: None. The appointment is unpaid.

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what the mandate of the EC-Malta Joint Research Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what the mandate of the EC-Russia Joint Committee on scientific and technological co-operation is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what the mandate of the EC-China RTD Co-operation Steering Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what the mandate of the EC-Republic of South Africa Joint Committee on scientific and technological co-operation is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what the mandate of the EC-India RTD Co-operation Steering Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement;
	(6)  what the mandate of the EC-Canada Joint Committee on scientific and technological co-operation is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement;
	(7)  what the mandate of the EC-Argentina RTD Co-operation Steering Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement;
	(8)  what the mandate of the EC-Cyprus Joint Research Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: Details of the mandates and the number of meetings held in the last 12 months by the Joint Committees established under the EC's scientific and technological co-operation agreements with the Argentine Republic, Canada, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of India, the Republic of Malta, the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Africa are set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Country Mandate Meetings in last 12 months 
		
		
			 Argentina Managing the Agreement, including promoting and overseeing co-operative activities, identifying sectors for potential co-operation, and advising on ways to improve co-operation None—Agreement has only just entered into force 
			 Canada Details not retrievable without disproportionate cost One 
			 China Managing the Agreement, including promoting and overseeing co-operative activities, identifying for the following year priority sectors for potential co-operation, and advising on ways to improve co-operation One 
			 Cyprus Functions include reviewing, evaluating measures for co-operation under the EU 5th Framework Programme, and examining ways to improve and develop co-operation One 
			 India Managing the Agreement, including promoting and overseeing co-operative activities, identifying for the following year priority sectors for potential co-operation, recommending joint projects for sponsoring on a cost sharing basis, and advising on ways to improve co-operation None—Agreement has not yet entered into force 
			 Malta Functions include reviewing, evaluating measures for co-operation under the EU 5th Framework Programme, and examining ways to improve and develop co-operation None—a Committee has yet to be formed 
			 Russia Managing the Agreement, including promoting and overseeing co-operative activities, identifying sectors for potential co-operation, and advising on ways to enhance co-operation None—last meeting February 2001 
			 South Africa Managing the Agreement, including promoting and reviewing co-operative activities, making recommendations for additional modalities of co-operation, and advising on ways to enhance co-operation One 
		
	
	There is no UK representative on the Committees. The Agreements have no direct financial implications for the UK. Information is not available on items under discussion.
	The Government welcomes the Agreements as their essential aim is to stimulate RTD co-operation between the European Communities and the Governments concerned and this increases the possibilities for the UK, as a partner of first choice, to engage in collaborative research. The Agreements have been subject to Parliamentary Scrutiny procedures and the Government does not consider that further steps are needed to assure the accountability and transparency to Parliament of the Committees.

Sunset Clauses

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Bills introduced by her Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans she has for the future use of such clauses.

Patricia Hewitt: One Bill introduced by my Department in the last five years contained a sunset clause. Section 16(41) of The Electronic Communications Act 2000 provides for the repeal of Part 1 of the Act five years from Royal Assent if no order is made before then under Section 16(2). The use of such clauses in future Bills will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) cost and (b) saving has been from the Department's pursuit of Service Delivery Agreement targets in each year since they were introduced.

Patricia Hewitt: SDA targets are set as an integral part of the Spending Review process. It is difficult to say for the majority of the Department's SDA targets how the Department's expenditure would have differed or no targets been set. Further analysis on the costs and savings of specific targets could only be undertaken at disproportionate cost.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the (a) cost and (b) saving from the pursuit of the Department's Public Service Agreement targets in each year since they were introduced.

Patricia Hewitt: Information on Departmental expenditure by Public Service Agreement (PSA) objective can be found in the Department's annually published Consolidated Resource Accounts, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House for years up to 2000–01. Information on costs incurred in working towards individual PSA targets is not available.
	PSA targets are set as an integral part of the Spending Review process. It is not possible to say how the Department's expenditure would have differed had different, or no, targets been adopted. As a result, additional costs or savings resulting from pursuing PSA targets cannot be specified, although one of DTI's current PSA targets requires the Department to achieve an annual 2.5 per cent. improvement in value for money, including through savings.

Postal Services

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department has had with managers of Consignia regarding a new post office and Royal Mail sorting office in Camborne.

Stephen Timms: This is a matter which falls within the day to day responsibility of Consignia and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to my hon. Friend.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what costs are arising from regulatory impact assessments for legislation introduced by her Department in the 2001–02 parliamentary session.

Patricia Hewitt: Details of all costs which arose from regulatory impact assessments for legislation introduced by the Department of Trade and Industry in the 2001–02 Parliamentary session were contained in the assessments prepared in respect of each Bill and Statutory Instrument where appropriate, copies of which were deposited in the Libraries of the House.

BNFL

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the use by BNFL and its subsidiaries of public funds to make donations to political elements within the United States of America;
	(2)  if she will list the donations made to political elements overseas by BNFL and its subsidiaries in each year since 1997.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 13 June 2002
	No. This is a matter for the company. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

BNFL

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether BNFL sought clearance from her Department before making donations to political elements within the United States of America.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 13 June 2002
	No.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how long British troops are planned to remain in Afghanistan.

Geoff Hoon: The International Security Assistance Force has made an enormous contribution to the stability of Afghanistan. We will transfer leadership of the ISAF to Turkey later this week, after which there will be a reduced but substantial British contribution.
	The task force based around 45 Commando has been engaged in difficult operations that have successfully denied al-Qaeda and Taliban freedom of action during what is a critical period for the future of Afghanistan as the Loya Jirga has been meeting. I have previously told the House that the Royal Marines would be deployed for about three months and I expect the deployment to conform to this timetable.
	Hon. Members will be aware that the Loya Jirga is drawing to a close in Kabul. In the light of this, and following final discussions with Turkey and other coalition partners, I hope to make a fuller statement to the House on the future of our forces in Afghanistan later this week.

Afghanistan

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the international security assistance force has helped with humanitarian aid missions in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: As I said in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) earlier, at column 18 today, the primary role of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is to help the Interim Administration maintain security in Kabul and its surrounding areas. However, national contingents within the ISAF have been involved in a number of humanitarian projects. United Kingdom service personnel, in conjunction with the Department for International Development, have contributed to the rebuilding of Kabul' s education system through helping with repairs to its schools. The ISAF has also on occasion responded to critical emergencies to help save lives. There has been no expansion in ISAF's mission as defined in the authorising United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

Afghanistan

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role and effectiveness of British troops deployed in Afghanistan.

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on recent deployments of British forces in Afghanistan.

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the situation in Afghanistan.

John Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of British military operations in Afghanistan.

Geoff Hoon: British military operations in Afghanistan have involved both warfighting and security assistance tasks. The task force based around 45 Commando Royal Marines has performed valuable work in denying remaining al-Qaeda and Taliban elements opportunities to regroup and commit terrorist attacks, especially around the time of the vital Loya Jirga process. British forces in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have also played a valuable role in helping the Afghan Interim Administration maintain security in Kabul. As I have already said in my answer to the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. Goodman), at column 33W today, I hope to make a fuller statement to the House on our forces in Afghanistan later this week.

Afghanistan

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the international security assistance force in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The International Security Assistance Force has helped the Afghan Interim Administration transform the security situation in Kabul, allowing a shattered city to become a functioning political and commercial centre.
	The United Kingdom's leadership of ISAF, ably exercised by Major General McColl, has been praised throughout the international community. I am confident that the ISAF will continue to make a positive impact under Turkish leadership.

Defence Housing Estate

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses have been sold by the armed forces in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Midlothian in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 2002.

Lewis Moonie: I regret that information for 1980 is not readily available.
	Based on available records, the figures for 1990 show that more than 814 properties were sold in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 109 in Scotland. I should point out that the information for 1990 is, however, incomplete given the lapse of time and significant organisational changes.
	To date this year, 1,884 properties in England and Wales have been handed back to Annington Homes Ltd., with an additional 47 being sold by Defence Estates. A further 114 houses have been sold in Scotland in the same period. No houses have been sold in Northern Ireland this year.
	No houses in Midlothian were sold in either 1990 or to date this year.

Defence Housing Estate

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to improve response times for maintenance to service personnel housing.

Lewis Moonie: The Defence Housing Executive (DHE) is constantly looking for ways to further improve its repairs service. Current response requirements for unplanned maintenance are: within 24 hours for emergencies, within five working days for urgent repairs and within two months for routine repairs. DHE achieved 99 per cent. of routine repairs within the required timescale against a target of 95 per cent. On urgent repairs, 87 per cent. were achieved on time against a target of 90 per cent. Against a target of 95 per cent. for emergency repairs, the achievement was 93 per cent.
	The DHE is trialling a call centre in the north-east which allows the occupants of service families' housing to notify their requirement for response repairs directly. An appointment is then made with the occupant for the contractor to call and effect the repair. The contractor is incentivised to meet response repair targets and to reach a higher level of customer satisfaction. Failure to achieve the targets set by DHE will mean that fees will be withheld. The results of the trial will be used to inform the planned move to a prime contract for housing maintenance and works services, which is in line with a wider Government initiative.

Media Relations

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance is given to service men on dealing with the media.

Adam Ingram: Invitations for service personnel to take part in media interviews are usually made by broadcasting and press authorities through official departmental channels. If, however, members of the armed forces are invited directly to take part in radio or television broadcasts, or undertake press interviews, there is guidance in The Queen's Regulations that instructs personnel on how to report the approach, and if the interview is sanctioned, guidance about the handling of the interview and not being drawn on any policy issue which is, or may become, a matter of controversy between political parties.

Veterans

Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of new arrangements for helping veterans from the armed forces.

Lewis Moonie: The broad effectiveness of the Government's veterans' initiative is monitored through the work of the task force and forum, the latter of which includes representatives from the veterans' community. We also monitor progress in specific areas including the success of our resettlement training, our initiatives with the charitable sector to address homelessness among those leaving the armed forces, and the service provided by our veterans helpline. In a number of areas work is still in hand, but my overall assessment is that the initiative is making good progress, with real benefits being delivered, particularly to the most vulnerable service leavers.

Warships

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the operational strength is of the Royal Navy's destroyers and frigates.

Adam Ingram: The full strength of the Royal Navy' s destroyer and frigate force is 32.

Return to Civilian Life

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to improve support for service personnel on their return to civilian life.

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to improve support for service personnel on their return to civilian life.

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to improve support for service personnel on their return to civilian life.

Lewis Moonie: For those service leavers eligible to receive standard career transition services, the Ministry of Defence is currently working on introducing a Tri Service Resettlement Manual, to align resettlement procedures, policy and structures across the three services, and on replacing the current system for funding resettlement training to allow service leavers greater flexibility for such training. However, for one category of service leaver not eligible to receive standard career transition services, those being compulsorily discharged, the MOD has under consideration a change to the current rules to allow them to receive some specialist advice about finding jobs and accommodation, and accessing further support should the initial advice fail. A six-month trial to assess the feasibility of this initiative is under way.

Sea Harriers

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy Sea Harriers are in operational condition.

Adam Ingram: On 29 May 2002, there were 27 Sea Harrier FA2 and four Sea Harrier T4 aircraft in the Actual Operating Fleet. The Actual Operating Fleet is the total number of aircraft available to the Operating Commander to undertake the defined military task. Numbers of operational aircraft can vary with time.

Sea Harriers

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the withdrawal from service of the Royal Navy Sea Harriers.

Adam Ingram: On current plans the first Fleet Air Arm Sea Harrier squadron will be withdrawn in 2004 and the remainder of the force will be withdrawn by 2006.
	An investment plan has been agreed to take forward Joint Force Harrier (JFH) into the era of Future Joint Combat Aircraft (FJCA) and Future Carriers.
	The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) included a commitment to establish JFH, building on the success of Royal Navy and RAF Harrier aircraft operations in joint carrier air groups. This was a radical initiative to form a truly joint, flexible and deployable force optimised for the demands of the new strategic environment. JFH currently operates two aircraft types—Sea Harrier FA2, an air defence aircraft flown by RN personnel, and Harrier GR7, a ground attack/reconnaissance aircraft flown by RAF personnel. The plan has been for both the Sea Harrier FA2 and Harrier GR7 to be replaced by a common aircraft type. This is currently designated the FJCA with an In-Service Date of 2012.
	Work has been taking place on a migration plan to take forward JFH into the era of the FJCA and the future aircraft carrier. We have concluded that JFH should migrate to an all Harrier GR force, maximising investment in one aircraft type. It is planned to upgrade the GR7 to GR9 standard to ensure a credible expeditionary offensive capability until the aircraft leaves service. To achieve this, aircraft systems will be enhanced to ensure their longevity and give the Harrier the capability to operate with smart weapons.
	Given the Harrier GR9' s ability in future to employ smart weapons world-wide by day and night from land and sea and the increased emphasis on carrier based offensive air-power in the SDR and confirmed by the emerging conclusions of our post-11 September work, the Sea Harrier FA2 will be withdrawn earlier than planned, by 2006. The Sea Harrier entered service in 1979, and will start to become obsolescent as this decade progresses.
	As a consequence of its earlier withdrawal from service, the planned relocation of Sea Harrier FA2 aircraft from RNAS Yeovilton to RAF Cottesmore and RAF Wittering in 2003 will not now proceed. However, the relocation of RN personnel will go ahead but slightly later than currently planned, over the period 2004 to 2006. By 1 April 2007, JFH will have migrated to an all Harrier GR9 force by roughly equal numbers of RN and RAF personnel. These proposals will be subject to consultation with the trade unions in the normal way.
	This plan will significantly enhance the offensive strike capability of our aircraft carriers pending the introduction to service of the FJCA.

Colchester Garrison

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last had discussions with the preferred PFI bidder for the Colchester garrison about the delays in building the new garrison.

Adam Ingram: My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence met with the preferred bidder on the Colchester Private Finance Initiative Project, RMPA Services, in January of this year, when he went to view the excellent Single Living Accommodation mock-ups at Colchester garrison. The MOD PFI project team and RMPA Services are now co-located in offices in central London where they meet daily.

BAE Systems

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the continuing contracts awarded by his Department to BAE Systems for the manufacture of ordnance in the United Kingdom.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence currently has a number of contracts with Royal Ordnance Defence (ROD), a wholly owned subsidiary of BAE Systems, for the manufacture of munitions. These requirements and contracts fall under the umbrella of the MOD/ROD Framework Partnering Agreement. Contracts are placed with ROD as the prime contractor and the sourcing of materials or manufacture of components is a matter for the company, provided that they meet the MOD's stringent safety and quality requirements.

BAE Systems

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings his Department has had with representatives of BAE Systems since June 2001.

Lewis Moonie: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	BAE Systems is the largest supplier of equipment to the United Kingdom armed forces. As such, the Ministry of Defence maintains an ongoing dialogue with the company at all levels on a wide range of strategic and equipment related issues.

Gibraltar

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with EU partners regarding the future of the British base in Gibraltar.

Geoff Hoon: I have had no such discussions.

Shoeburyness

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the new ranges in Shoeburyness.

Lewis Moonie: The Shoeburyness ranges are included in the arrangements being negotiated with QinetiQ for the delivery of a long-term test and evaluation capability to the Ministry of Defence.

Falkland Islands

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit the Falkland Islands to discuss the security of the islands; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence visited the Falkland Islands in March this year and had discussions with the Governor and members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Council on a range of issues, including the security of the islands. I visited the islands last week to represent the Government at commemorations to mark the 20th anniversary of the conflict. The United Kingdom remains fully committed to the security of the Falkland Islands and to the right of the Falkland Islanders to determine their own future.

Rapid Reaction Force

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Turkish/ US/UK Joint Paper on the Rapid Reaction Force.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) on 23 May 2002, Official Report, column 478W.

Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on press and advertising campaigns in 2001–02; and what the planned expenditure is for 2002–03.

Lewis Moonie: Expenditure for press and advertising campaigns is spread among many different budgets and budget holders within the Ministry of Defence, and is not recorded centrally. However, outturn figures for advertising and publicity are published in the annual departmental performance report. Figures for financial year 2001–02 are currently being collated and will appear in the departmental performance report for 2001–02 which is due to be published later in the years.
	Forecast information for financial year 2002–03 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Suez Medal

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations he has received in the past 12 months requesting that a medal be awarded for the 1951–54 Suez Canal Campaign; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Since 1 June 2001, the Ministry of Defence has received a number of representations from right hon. and hon. Members and the general public on the subject of a retrospective campaign medal for service in the Canal Zone during the period 1951 to 1954. From available records it has been determined that the Ministry of Defence has received at least:
	One parliamentary question for oral response, five parliamentary questions for written response, 122 letters from MPs on behalf of constituents and recorded as ministerial correspondence, two early-day motions, two Adjournment debates and four letters to a Defence Minister from other than a MP, which were answered direct by him or on his behalf by his office. The Ministry of Defence has also received 88 letters from members of the public which were variously addressed to the Prime Minister, a Defence Minister, or to the Queen and were answered by an official on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. A small number of veterans have written many times on this subject.

National Rail Academy

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with (a) Railtrack, (b) Network Rail, (c) the Strategic Rail Authority and (d) the Rail Regulator for the Defence Rail Executive land at Bicester to be used for the National Rail Academy; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has for the Defence Rail Executive to help with the setting up of the National Rail Academy; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Defence Rail Executive, which is responsible for the operation and provision of Defence Rail capability, is liaising with the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) regarding the potential for using assets and land at Bicester so support SRA plans to form a National Rail Academy. Discussions are at an early stage, and no commitment has been made.

Service Accommodation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's personnel houses have been sold in (a) each of the last five years and (b) in 2002; and how many were sold (i) to private developers and (ii) to social landlords.

Lewis Moonie: Most of the Families Quarters estate in England and Wales was sold to a private company, Annington Homes Ltd. (AHL) 1996, on a 999 year lease, and the Ministry of Defence leases back the houses required for service families. Properties for which the MOD has no long term requirement are handed back to AHL, under the terms of the sale agreement, for disposal. The means by which AHL chooses to dispose of the surplus properties they own is a matter over which the MOD has no influence. AHL rents out or sells the properties as a commercial organisation.
	The number of properties passed to AHL in England and Wales for the years in question are:
	
		
			  Properties handed back to AHL 
		
		
			 1997 8 
			 1998 1,375 
			 1999 1,195 
			 2000 2,688 
			 2001 2,656 
			 2002 1,890 
		
	
	Some houses, including all family quarters in Scotland, are still owned by the MOD and disposals are handled by Defence Estates. The figures for such properties covering the whole of the UK are:
	
		
			  Social landlords Other sales 
		
		
			 1997–98 132 569 
			 1998–99 125 325 
			 1999–2000 35 142 
			 2000–01 395 186 
			 2001–02 148 214 
			 2002(6) 4 9 
		
	
	(6) to date
	The figures include sales of MOD-owned houses apart from Family Quarters. "Other sales" include sales of individual houses to private purchasers.

Service Accommodation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's personnel housing units have been sold in the Twickenham constituency in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002 so far; to whom they were sold; for what purpose; and at what price.

Lewis Moonie: All the Service Families Accommodation in the Twickenham constituency, along with most of the Service housing in England and Wales, was sold to a private company, Annington Homes Limited, in November 1996. Ministry of Defence leases back from Annington the properties required for service families and these are administered and maintained by the Defence Housing Executive.
	Properties for which the MOD has no long term requirement are handed back to Annington under the terms of the sale agreement, for disposal. No service housing in Twickenham was released for disposal in 2000 or 2001, but 24 properties in the constituency were passed to Annington for disposal in March 2002. The MOD has no influence over the manner of disposal of these properties; whether they are rented out or sold is a commercial decision taken by Annington. If they are sold, the price is arrived at in consultation with local agents and in the context of the local housing market at the time of sale.

Joint Strike Fighter

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the likely preferred variant type of Joint Strike Fighter for the future aircraft carriers.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking a detailed evaluation of the Short-Take-Off/ Vertical Landing and Carrier Variants of the Joint Strike Fighter to establish which would best meet our needs. A decision is planned to be taken by autumn this year and an announcement will then be made.

Princess Royal Barracks

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has had from the families of soldiers killed at the Princess Royal Barracks at Deepcut, Surrey; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I met with the family of the late Private Geoff Gray on 15 May 2002. A number of written representations from Mr. and Mrs. Gray have been received by Ministers and other right hon. and hon. Members. There have also been a number of other representations made by Members on behalf of constituents.
	The Surrey police investigation into the deaths of Private Geoff Gray and Private James Collinson is continuing. It would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to comment further at this stage.
	The deaths in 1995 of Private Sean Benton and Private Cheryl James have both been subject to coroner's inquests and Army Boards of Inquiry (BOI). Privates Benton and James' next of kin have received copies of the respective BOI reports.

Powers of Arrest

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what powers of arrest military authorities will have in assisting civilian authorities in the event of a terrorist attack as described in 'The Role of the Reserves in Home Defence and Security'; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: Except where specifically authorised by statute, the armed forces have no powers of arrest over and above those of an ordinary citizen. There are no proposals to add to existing armed forces powers. This does not, however, rule out the possibility of the armed forces being asked by the police for assistance in maintaining law and order.
	'The Role of the Reserves in Home Defence and Security' discussion document proposes that the Reserves should play a greater role than is currently the case in support of the police and the civil authorities. They would do so at the request of the police and in close co-operation with them.

Gulf War Syndrome

Paul Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the submission of his Department to the War Pensions Appeal Tribunal in the case of Mr. Shaun Rusling, with an explanation for the change in description of his illness from Gulf War Syndrome; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: As the papers submitted by Veterans Agency to the Pensions Appeal Tribunal contain details of personal and medical information relating to Mr. Rusling it would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Defence to publish them. I am therefore withholding them in accordance with Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Mr. Rusling was sent a copy of these papers prior to the tribunal hearing.
	Decisions on war pensions are medically certified and aim to reflect case specific facts, the relevant standard or proof and contemporary medical understanding.
	Mr. Rusling first claimed war disablement pension in December 1993 for post-traumatic stress disorder and "Gulf Syndrome", described as a list of non-specific symptoms. Various disorders/symptoms were certified as attributable to service with an award paid but "Gulf Syndrome" was rejected as "not found".
	In December 1996 Mr. Rusling appealed against the rejection of "Gulf Syndrome". Mr. Rusling's case was governed by the relevant war pensions legislation which requires disablement to be accepted unless it can be shown "beyond reasonable doubt" that there is no service link. His case was reviewed and to reflect then emerging evidence and medical understanding of Gulf illness and the war pension standard of proof, the rejected "Gulf Syndrome" was replaced by the WHO International Classification of Diseases 10th ed. diagnostic category, Signs, Symptoms and ill-defined Conditions. This included the symptoms previously claimed under "Gulf Syndrome". Mr. Rusling's award of war disablement pension was increased accordingly. Mr. Rusling was notified of the details of the decision at that time.

Gulf War Syndrome

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gulf war veterans have been awarded war pensions for (a) chronic fatigue and (b) post viral fatigue syndromes.

Lewis Moonie: As at 13 June 2002, 114 war pension awards in respect of chronic fatigue syndrome and three in respect of post viral fatigue syndrome have been made to Gulf war veterans.

Sri Lankan War Veterans

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government plans to (a) reward financially Sri Lankan soldiers who took part in the Second World War and (b) otherwise assist financially surviving Ceylonese War veterans.

Lewis Moonie: We acknowledge the valuable role played by Sri Lankan veterans in the Second World War. However, we have no plans to provide financial assistance or recognition. Responsibility for the welfare of such veterans passed to the Government of Sri Lanka when the country became independent.

BioReliance

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contact was made between his Department and BioReliance after the visit of his Department's officials in late 2001.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 23 May 2002
	Following the visit by representatives from Dstl Porton Down and the Medical Supplies Agency to BioReliance on 4 December 2001, contact with BioReliance in the form of a series of e-mails was instigated by Dstl Porton Down on 14 January 2002.
	There has been no contact between BioReliance and Dstl Porton Down since that date.

Bullying

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many payments he has made in the past three years to members and former members of HM Armed Forces in compensation for ill-treatment, bullying or harassment experienced while serving; and what the total cost was in each year.

Lewis Moonie: pursuant to the answer 10 June 2002, c. 743
	The table given in the answer was printed under the wrong headings. The correct answer is reprinted.
	The number of claims settled and the total amounts paid in the past three years to members and former members of HM Armed Forces in compensation for ill-treatment, bullying or harassment experience while serving are set out in the table.
	
		
			 Year Bullying/ill treatment Sexual harassment Racial harassment 
		
		
			 1999–2000 9 claims settled, £34,533 paid 2 claims settled, £31,000 paid No claims settled 
			 2000–01 6 claims settled, £49,165 paid 3 claims settled, £15,000 paid 1 claim settled, £50,000 paid 
			 2001–02 17 claims settled, £132,373 paid 1 claim settled, £37,500 paid 1 claim settled, £20,000 paid

PRIME MINISTER

Honours

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  if the Government issues policy guidelines to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals; and to whom it is accountable;
	(2)  when he expects Sir Richard Wilson's review of the case for the award of a medal for veterans of the Suez campaign 1951–54 to report;
	(3)  what the terms of reference are of Sir Richard Wilson's review of the case for the award of a medal for veterans of the Suez campaign 1951–54.

Tony Blair: The terms of reference of the Committee are to consider general questions relative to the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals; to review the scales of award, both civil and military, from time to time, to consider questions of new awards, and changes in the conditions governing existing awards.
	The Committee is the permanent standing committee to which the sovereign looks for advice about the honours system. It is chaired by the Secretary of the Cabinet, and its members are certain permanent secretaries and the private secretaries to the sovereign and the Prime Minister.
	The Committee of Honours and Medals is aware of the past history of the case and of the representations currently being made for a medal. It is considering these representations very carefully.

China

John MacDougall: To ask the Prime Minister when he last met the Chinese (a) Premier and (b) President to discuss Tibet.

Tony Blair: I raised Tibet with the Chinese Premier, Zhu Rongji, during his visit to the UK in March/April 1998 and with President Jiang Zemin during his visit to the UK in October 1999. I also discussed Tibet with Vice President Hu Jintao when we met on 29 October last year.
	The Government remain of the view that a long-term political solution in Tibet can only be found through dialogue between the Chinese authorities and the Tibetan people, including the Dalai Lama. We continue to urge the Chinese to develop such a dialogue, at both ministerial and official level, including at our biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, the last round of which took place in Beijing on 15 May.

United Nations Security Council

Ian Davidson: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is on giving up Britain's seat on the United Nations Security Council in favour of collective representation by the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: Under the Charter of the United Nations only states may be members of the organisation. Therefore, a Security Council seat for the European Union would not be possible. The responsibility and duty of permanent membership of the UN Security Council is accepted by the United Kingdom and welcomed by its partners and allies.

European Commission

Ian Davidson: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is on the call by the President of the European Commission that Britain should give up its place on the IMF and G7 to a representative of the Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: The Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund are based on the principle of membership by and representation of national Governments. Membership of the G7/8 is also based on this principle. The European Commission is not represented at the Board of Governors of the IMF, although does participate in G7/8 meetings on some issues. While the Government will continue to cooperate with European Union partners, and others, to promote growth, stability and poverty reduction world wide, the UK does not support a role for the Commission as the sole representative of the European Union in the IMF and G7.

Social Issues

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the report prepared by the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Social Issues in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: We are carefully studying the concluding observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. We will take the committee's views into account when we submit our next periodic report and point out to them any inaccuracies in their latest conclusions. The UK has an excellent record of co-operation with UN mechanisms and takes its international obligations very seriously. We will continue to fulfil our reporting obligations under UN human rights treaties we are party to.

Sport

Lynne Jones: To ask the Prime Minister when the Performance and Innovation Unit will publish its report on the future of sport; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: The Performance and Innovation Unit's joint study with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport examining long-term sports policy will be published in due course.

Former President Mandela

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will meet former President Mandela to discuss his visit to Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow and meeting with Abdul Bassett al Megrahi.

Tony Blair: holding answer 13 June 2002
	I have no current plans for a meeting with former President Mandela.

Beef Imports

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the French President; and if he will raise the issue of the ban imposed by the French Government on imports of beef from the UK.

Tony Blair: I expect to meet the French President shortly. The Government continue to make it clear to the French Government that their ban on UK beef exported under the Date-based Export Scheme is illegal and should be lifted immediately.

Regulatory Reform

Brian Cotter: To ask the Prime Minister which Ministers have direct responsibility for regulatory reform within each Government Department.

Tony Blair: Each Department involved in regulatory activity has a Minister who is charged with removing any regulations that are outdated or burdensome, and ensuring that new regulations are truly necessary and involve the least burden to business.
	The current Ministers are: Dr. Kim Howells MP (Department for Culture, Media and Sport); Lord Whitty (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs); Lord Hunt of Kings (Department of Health); Lord Falconer of Thoroton (Home Office); Baroness Scotland of Asthal (Lord Chancellor's Department); Nigel Griffiths MP (Department of Trade and Industry); John Spellar MP (Department for Transport) Dawn Primarolo MP (HM Treasury); Ian McCartney MP (Department for Work and Pensions).
	The Ministers for the Department for Education and Skills and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minster have yet to be decided following the recent reallocation of ministerial duties.

Special Advisers

Tim Collins: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the correspondence between the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office concerning the special adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence to which he referred at Prime Minister's questions on 12 June; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I have nothing further to add to the answers I gave the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Inverness, West (Mr. Kennedy) on 12 June 2002, Official Report, columns 858–59.

Rail Summit

Theresa May: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the attendees at the rail summit he held on 28 May.

Tony Blair: I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Radioactive Waste

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what matters in respect of the sea bed disposal of radioactive waste from the United Kingdom in the Hurd Deep near the Channel Islands were discussed during his visit to Jersey on 14 June.

Tony Blair: This issue was not raised during my visit.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she will take to ensure the continued operation of the Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine in Edinburgh.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine is part of the University of Edinburgh and is reliant on funding from a wide range of sources for both research and training. DEFRA is not a significant funder of CTVM. DEFRA is interested in aspects of veterinary training and funds Veterinary Fellowship programmes at three Veterinary Schools—including one at Edinburgh. We are awaiting the Royal Society Inquiry report which may make recommendations about training.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of farms with countryside stewardship scheme agreements have had their scheme compliance checked during the first year of the agreement by farm visits from her Department's Rural Development Service.

Elliot Morley: The Rural Payments Agency is responsible for carrying out compliance inspections of countryside stewardship agreements in accordance with EU requirements. EU rules require at least 5 per cent. of agreements to be inspected and selected using a risk based selection criteria. The risk based selection criteria is not specifically related to the year of agreement.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of countryside stewardship agreements the Rural Payments Agency has visited in each year since the scheme began.

Elliot Morley: The Rural Development Regulation requires member states to undertake on-the-spot compliance checks on at least 5 per cent. of agreements each year. Between 1996 and 2000, just over 5 per cent. of agreements were subject to such checks by MAFF staff each year. The Rural Payments Agency assumed responsibility for these checks in April 2001, after the Regional Service Centres of MAFF were disbanded. Since then, no compliance checks have been undertaken on Countryside Stewardship agreements. The foot and mouth epidemic prevented Agency staff undertaking any checks during the majority of the last calendar year and the early part of 2002. Arrangements for resuming checks on Countryside Stewardship agreements are well advanced.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 15 May 2002, Official Report, column 654W, on the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, if she will outline how the risk-based selection system works; and what monitoring is in place to identify risks.

Elliot Morley: Risk selection of on-the-spot compliance checks is laid down in the Rural Development regulation, which requires member states to take account of the following factors:
	the amount of aid involved;
	the number of agricultural parcels and the area or number of animals for which aid is requested;
	changes from the previous years;
	the findings of checks made in past years;
	cases of non-compliance;
	those farmers who are either just above or just below ceilings or limits relevant for the granting of aids;
	replacement of animals.
	Data on risk factors are accumulated for each agreement and fed into a selection programme, which identifies the requisite number of agreements to be inspected for each year's compliance monitoring round. A proportion—currently 75 per cent. to 80 per cent.—of the total number of agreements selected for compliance checks are identified through this risk selection process. The remainder are randomly selected, as required by the Rural Development regulation.

Ragwort

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if ragwort is covered by the Injurious Weeds Act 1959.

Elliot Morley: I can confirm that common ragwort is one of the five injurious weeds covered by the Weeds Act 1959.

Biosecurity (South Korea)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice on biosecurity she has issued to British tourists visiting South Korea.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 June 2002
	We have increased the number and improved the locations of posters explaining our import controls at the major UK airports. The Football Association agreed to target football fans travelling to the World Cup with advice about the risk of importing foot and mouth disease from South Korea. These initiatives are part of our work to increase public awareness of the current regulations and their importance.

Biosecurity (South Korea)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice she has given to port health officers about the risks of foot and mouth disease being introduced to the United Kingdom by (a) travellers and (b) goods from South Korea.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 June 2002
	We have notified enforcement authorities and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in South Korea so that they take this into consideration when undertaking checks of cargo and passenger baggage. On, 22 May, enforcement officers' search powers were extended to include personal baggage and all commercial containers, whether or not described as food.

Biosecurity (South Korea)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken by HM Customs and Excise to reduce the risk of foot and mouth disease being brought into the United Kingdom by travellers from South Korea.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 June 2002
	HM Customs and Excise support the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and their enforcement agencies in their implementation of import controls designed to protect animal and human health. Customs staff have been alerted to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in South Korea and have been directed to bring any consignments discovered in Customs checks to the attention of the appropriate local health officials.

Icebergs

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on (a) the hazards to shipping, (b) the impact of global warming and (c) changes in sea levels in connection with the floating away of iceberg numbers (i) C19 and (ii) C10 from Antarctica.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 10 June 2002
	C19 broke away from the west Antarctic in the last few weeks and is currently drifting slowly north. C10 broke away about five years ago and is currently located at approximately 64 degrees south, 99 east.
	There is an obvious risk to navigation, especially when we consider that a vessel undertaking a "great circle" sailing in the southern ocean will be drawn into high latitudes. However, the risk is minimised by knowledge of the location, size and movement of the icebergs from satellite remote sensing devices, the provision of Maritime Safety Information (MSI) services to ensure that mariners are aware of the danger and the contribution from modern navigation systems.
	The breaking away of C10 and C19 will not have an impact on global warming. While the break-up of ice shelves is consistent with a warmer world, it is still not clear the degree to which global warming has contributed to the recent break-up of parts of the Antarctic ice shelf.
	C10 and C19 will not cause sea levels to change as the ice was floating in the sea prior to breaking off the ice shelf.

Departmental Policies (Isle of Wight)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the activities pursued by her Department that have had a particular impact on the Isle of Wight since 7 June 2001.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 June 2002
	'FMD Signposts to Recovery' conference, held (in Berkshire) at the end of June 2001, covered the Isle of Wight interests. This was one of two seminars held in the regions to assist rural businesses in the recovery process from the impacts of foot and mouth disease and the precautionary measures required to contain it. Conference was targeted at advisers and advisory organisations in public and private sectors that regularly provide support, advice or information to rural businesses. Organised from Government Office South East for DEFRA, with, SEEDA (Regional Development Agency), Countryside Agency, SE Tourist Board, NFU and Farm Crisis Network, et.al. Information was provided on a variety of Government sponsored resources from Departments, agencies and partner organisations, e.g. Rural Business Recovery Fund, Farm Business Advisory Service, Countryside Agency Grants etc.
	A seminar on 'Planning and Rural Diversification' was held in January 2002 to cover the two counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (held at Sparsholt College near Winchester). Representatives from the Isle of Wight Unitary Authority as the local planning authority were invited to attend. There were four seminars held in total across the region, in a series resulting from the Government's Action Plan for Farming. The seminars focused on farm diversification and rural business development issues and brought together relevant partners at the regional and local level, to take account of regional needs and variations.
	The Isle of Wight adopted its unitary development plan in May 2001, which had received input from the former MAFF. Any further input on behalf of DEFRA for a review will be made through the Government Office for the South East (GOSE), in conjunction with the interests of other Departments. Some dialogue is expected in respect of implementing national Planning Policy Guidance, notably PPG3 on housing and PPG7 which sets out the Government's objectives for rural areas.
	The South East Rural Affairs Forum has been set up following recommendations in the Rural White Paper. The First meeting of the Group was on the 15 April in Guildford. This Forum gives the opportunity for Rural Stakeholders across the South East to give their views on how rural policy is being delivered in the region. Cllr Harry Rees is a member, who is also a Member of the Isle of Wight Council Executive and other local bodies on the Island.
	The Countryside Agency, English Nature, Forestry Commission and other Agencies sponsored by DEFRA work with the Isle of Wight AONB which covers a third of the Island. Representatives of the Government Office for the South East Department have attended meetings of the Joint Action Committee on behalf of DEFRA to contribute to the action programme of the AONB.
	Applications for the England rural Development Programme (ERDP) have been received from within the Island constituency. There have been four successful Rural Enterprise scheme projects agreed to date and one Vocational Training Scheme project. There are over 70 hectares supported under the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme. There are currently seven countryside Stewardship Scheme agreements covering collectively over 225 hectares Approximately 67 ha. are managed with the benefit of Organic Farming Scheme payments.
	Clinics for the promotion of good quality applications under the ERDP are held regularly by the DEFRA Rural Development Service in Reading and Guildford, and have been attended recently by potential applicants from the Isle of Wight who are bringing forward new schemes for rural development.
	In addition to the ERDP there are continuing CAP payments supporting most farms in the constituency.
	Under the Market Towns Initiative a partnership development programme for the Island has recently been supported, including information and advice on Rural White Paper policies in the context of the developing Local Strategic Partnership, and the Vital Villages grant scheme run by the Countryside Agency.
	The Isle of Wight is one of five areas in the South East region that has been awarded new funding under the LEADER+ programme, with European Union support, for experimental development of rural projects and community initiatives. The Local Action Group is currently preparing its plans, under the DEFRA national guidance and with local contracts at the Government Office for the region.

Fisheries

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has to protect fisheries in British inshore waters from January 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 June 2002
	I welcome the Commission's proposal to renew without any time limitation the current access arrangements for the six and twelve mile limits and their statement that these provisions have reduced fishing pressure in the most biologically-sensitive areas of the sea and provided economic stability for small-scale fishing activity. The proposal would apply from 1 January 2003 and a decision is due to be taken by the Fisheries Council during the course of this year's review of the Common Fisheries Policy. There remains a consensus among Member States in favour of renewing the limits.

Wildlife Projects

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent, by project, on the Flagship Species Fund in 2001–02.

Michael Meacher: In November 2001, the Department allocated £80,000 to the Flagship Species Fund, to be run by Fauna & Flora International. A total of £70,500 was allocated to nine projects, of which £54,455 has already been spent and the remainder will be spent in the next few months. The grants are as follows.
	Vietnam Primates
	£20,000 towards the conservation of endangered primate species in a National Park in Vietnam, including a feasibility study on mechanisms to establish a community-based ecotourism project.
	Ecuador Spider Monkey
	£15,000 for the conservation of a threatened spider monkey in northwest Ecuador through production of an Action Plan and a series of community-designed conservation awareness materials.
	Pau Brasil
	£8,000 for an educational campaign to support the conservation of Brazil's endangered national tree.
	Mexican Oaks
	£8,000 for the development of conservation initiatives for over 30 oak species that are threatened with extinction in Mexico.
	Bushmeat
	£7,500 to build a guard post to monitor the trade in bushmeat between Nigeria and Cameroon.
	Philippine Teak
	£4,000 for a conservation programme to re-establish a stable natural population of Philippine teak.
	Nigeria
	£4,000 for the conservation of forests in the Taraba and Adamawa States
	Russia
	£2,500 for the conservation of two threatened bat species
	Thailand
	£1,500 for the conservation of the endangered Siamese crocodile.
	£9,500 has been used towards the administration costs of the Flagship Species Fund. The Fund has already attracted donations totalling £100,000 from BP and Rio Tinto. Negotiations are continuing with a number of other potential corporate sponsors.

Scientific Working Group on Wild Birds and Nature Conservation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library the minutes relating to the Scientific Working Group on Wild Birds and Nature Conservation.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 13 June 2002
	I understand this question to relate to the Scientific Working Group which supports the ORNIS Committee which assists the European Commission in an advisory capacity on a range of issues concerning implementation of the EC Wild Birds Directive. This committee is supported by a Scientific Working Group which acts in a consultative capacity on technical matters.
	Any requests for documents produced by the European Commission, including requests for the minutes of the Scientific Working Group, should be made directly to the European Commission. As part of a wider process, the Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Fly Tipping

Richard Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many convictions for fly tipping have been obtained in each of the last five years.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 16 May 2002
	Local authorities and the Environment Agency may prosecute for fly tipping offences. Between 1996 and 2001, the agency recorded prosecutions for general waste offences on a financial year basis. The data do not distinguish fly tipping offences from other waste offences. From 1 April 1999, the agency recorded whether an incident involves the unlawful deposit of waste and whether prosecutions led to convictions or acquittals. This information is given in the tables. No central register is kept of local authorities' prosecutions.
	
		Prosecutions (England and Wales)
		
			  General waste offences Unlawful deposit of waste(7) 
		
		
			 1996–97 241 — 
			 1997–98 345 — 
			 1998–99 367 — 
			 1999–2000 342 219 
			 2000–01 439 225 
			 2001–02 — 264 
		
	
	
		Convictions (England and Wales)
		
			  Unlawful deposit of waste(7) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 211 
			 2000–01 210 
			 2001–02 253 
		
	
	(7) Prosecutions under section 33(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Fly Tipping

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with district councils about fly-tipping; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 10 June 2002
	I have had no recent discussions with district councils specifically about fly tipping. However, these councils are represented by the Local Government Association on the fly tipping stakeholders' forum. The forum, chaired by the Environment Agency, provides an important channel for views on fly tipping to be shared anmong a range of stakeholders, including Government.
	I also attended recently the all party waste group's seminar on environmental crime, which discussed fly tipping, and which was attended by representatives from a number of local authorities.

Fridges

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what extra funding she is providing to local authorities to deal with the disposal of fridges; when this extra funding will become available; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: In December 2001, we announced a payment of £6 million to go to local authorities to cover their costs up until March 2002 for the disposal of refrigerators. We realise local authorities are in need of further funding and intend to make an announcement as soon as possible.

Nitrates

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the compatibility of the Government's commitments concerning the EC Nitrates Directive made in the Action Plan for Farming of March 2000 and the proposal made in her recent consultation document on the Nitrates Directive.

Michael Meacher: The Government are fully committed to minimising the extra burden on farmers, consistent with its legal responsibilities. Particular action that we have taken to implement the commitments set out in the Action Programme for Farming of March 2000 includes:
	Consultation, through the consultation document "How should England implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive?". We are currently carefully considering all the issues raised in the responses to this consultation and will shortly announce which approach will be adopted.
	Development of implementation support for farmers through working with stakeholder organisations to prepare workable guidance and advice, including updates to a series of free guideline booklets for farmers.
	Giving farmers time to prepare for implementation through bringing the Action Programme measures into effect within the new areas on 19 December 2002. As a result, the first closed period, during which the spreading of manures is prohibited, will not be until August 2003.
	We continue to operate a derogation which allows a higher limit than that set in the Directive for spreading nitrates on grassland. Steps are being taken to secure this derogation at EU level.
	The grant rate under the Farm Waste Grant Scheme was increased from 25 per cent. to 40 per cent. of eligible expenditure on 30 November 2000.
	The Government conducted bilateral meetings with member states and found that there is very little support for re-negotiating the requirements of the Nitrates Directive because of the widely held perception that re-examination of scientific evidence will result in tighter legislation.

Nitrates

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to commission and publish a veterinary risk assessment of the greater inter-farm movements of manure arising from the proposals in the Government's consultation document on nitrate vulnerable zones.

Michael Meacher: There are no plans at present to undertake a veterinary risk assessment of the inter-farm movement of manure arising from implementing the Nitrates Directive, as such movements already take place and the veterinary risks are addressed in existing guidance for farmers. The general principles of decreasing the risk of spreading disease while transporting manure are included in the free guidance booklets "Guidelines for farmers in NVZs" and "Manure Planning in NVZs" which we intend to send to all farmers newly affected by the Nitrates Directive. They are:
	(1) maintaining a leak and spillage proof vehicle;
	(2) ensuring that the exterior of the vehicle is clean before leaving the farm;
	(3) spreading manure on arable land or grassland used for forage conservation where possible;
	(4) storing and spreading the manure as per recommendations of codes of good practice.

EU Meeting (Mallorca)

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 21 May 2002, Official Report, column 200W, if she will list the commitments that (a) the UK and (b) the European Union undertook and the timetable for meeting them.

Michael Meacher: Neither the UK nor the European Union undertook any commitments at the informal meeting of Environment Ministers on 24–26 May in Mallorca. The presidency produced their own conclusions from the discussions on soil protection, which are as follows.
	The Commission adopted their communication "Towards a Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection" on 16 April 2002, and this formed the background to the discussion at Mallorca. Member states have been considering both the communication and the Mallorca discussion in the Council working group and are likely to adopt conclusions at the June Environment Council to steer the Commission's development of the strategy.

National Vocational Qualifications

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of (a) large, (b) small, (c) medium and (d) micro businesses have succeeded in NVQ implementation in each of the last 10 years in rural areas.

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
	The information, in the form requested, is not collected centrally. However, the total number of NVQ certificates awarded since their introduction in 1988 is 3,568,046.

Working Time Directive

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the application of the working time directive to fishermen.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	Fatigue is a factor in many fishing vessel accidents. My Department is working with the fishing industry to ensure the sensible implementation of the directive.

Working Time Directive

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the costs to British fishermen of complying with the working time directive.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	My officials are discussing the implementation of the directive with the sea-fishing industry. Because of the nature of the fishing industry in the UK, it is not anticipated that the directive will impose unreasonable financial burdens.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

IT Contracts

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what has been the total expenditure of his Department on IT systems and support in each year from May 1997 to date; how many IT contracts have been let in each of those years; of the other main contracting party in each of those contracts, how many have been (a) companies whose registered office is in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland and (b) foreign companies; and what are the names of the companies falling within category (a).

Clare Short: The total expenditure by my Department on IT systems and support in each year since May 1997 to date is shown in the table.
	
		£ 
		
			  IT support(8) IT goods(9) IT contracts(10) Total 
		
		
			 May 1997 to April 1998 1,935,324 2,060,607 834,804 4,830,735 
			 May 1998 to April 1999 1,834,625 2,367,885 1,539,290 5,741,800 
			 May 1999 to April 2000 2,865,038 2,703,506 1,001,945 6,570,489 
			 May 2000 to April 2001 1,801,077 7,646,706 1,525,558 10,973,341 
			 May 2001(11) 1,194,532 8,093,482 1,040,412 10,328,426 
		
	
	(8) Including salaries
	(9) And services
	(10) Contracts including maintenance
	(11) To date
	It is not possible to say without a disproportionate effort where the registered offices of the various companies are based.

CDC

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether she has exercised the powers conferred by the retention of a golden share in the CDC to direct the investment strategy towards the needs of poorer nations.

Clare Short: CDC's investment policy is focused on poorer developing countries, and cannot be changed without the approval of the Special Shareholder.

Departmental Sponsors

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  which hon. Members have been appointed as sponsors to her Department since 7 June 2001; and when each of them were appointed;
	(2)  what the duties are of hon. Members appointed as sponsors to her Department; and what assistance is given by officials in her Department to them in carrying out these duties.

Clare Short: We have made no such appointments.

Public Consultation

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the public consultations undertaken by her Department since June 2001, stating in each case the (a) number of respondents and (b) percentage of those specifically consulted who responded.

Clare Short: Since July 2001 the Department for International Development has completed one public consultation process on a strategy paper for achieving the Millennium Development Goal on hunger. The Department received (a) 119 written replies, which represented (b) about 10 per cent. of those specifically consulted. More than 1,000 people, in the United Kingdom and internationally, were sent copies of the consultation paper, which was also placed on the DFID website.
	The Department is carrying out three further public consultations on policy papers on: "Energy for the Poor"; "Better Livelihoods for Poor People, the Role of Agriculture"; and "Infrastructure for Poverty Reduction". Responses to these consultations are still being received.
	The Department pursues more focused consultation exercises with outside bodies and experts on particular issues. Recent examples include a strategy for the Department's partnership with the World Health Organisation, and a policy paper on research for poverty reduction. The Department is also participating in a joint international consultation exercise with the World bank, the United Nations Development Programme and the European Commission on policies for linking poverty reduction with environmental management.
	The Department regularly makes available, via its website and through parliamentary and civil society networks, briefing notes on major international meetings in which it is involved, such as the United Nations Financing for Development conference in Monterrey in March, the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children in May, International Monetary Fund and World bank meetings, and European Union development council meetings. Delegations also regularly consult representatives of civil society during the course of such meetings.
	The Department is currently engaged in its third round of development policy forums across the UK, to share thinking and ideas on key development issues. Over 2,000 representatives from across society—including from NGOs, trade unions, private sector, faith organisations and universities—are participating in the 11 forums in 2002, which are focusing on globalisation and its potential to reduce world poverty. Specifically, participants are debating the themes of trade, environment and the private sector.

Africa

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what changes have taken place in the Government's policy and aims for development in Africa since 1 October 2001; and what action her Department has taken with regard to Africa since that date.

Clare Short: DFID's aim is the elimination of poverty. The framework for our action is set out in the 1997 and 2000 White Papers and the recent International Development Act. The UN Millennium Development Goals are the main yardsticks against which we continue to measure progress towards this aim.
	At the country level we believe progress towards development goals is principally the responsibility of African Governments, in partnership with the donor community. The international community is working with developing countries, including in Sub-Saharan Africa, to promote country-led and participatory poverty reduction strategy processes. These processes are intended to develop coherent national policies, agree priorities, and help to develop an institutional framework in which Governments can be held to account by their own citizens and stakeholders. The role of donors is to provide financial and technical support to enhance Governments' capacity to develop and implement these strategies.
	Last October the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) was formally launched. This is one of the most important initiatives to come from Africa in recent years, and has been strongly welcomed by the Government. We are currently working to try to ensure that the response to NEPAD from the international community is both positive and sustained. In particular, we are working within the G8 to develop an Action Plan for Africa which focuses on the key areas of conflict resolution, aid, debt, health, education and trade.

Africa

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the number of people at risk of starvation in each country in sub-Saharan Africa; what steps her Department is taking to assist people at risk of starvation in each country in sub-Saharan Africa suffering food shortages; how much money her Department is allocating for humanitarian relief in each of the countries; and how much the spend on these countries has increased since the last financial year.

Clare Short: My Department is working with the international community and African Governments both to assess the number of people in sub-Saharan Africa who are hungry and to build capacity to assess vulnerability. FAO estimates from 1997 indicate that around 187 million people in sub-Saharan Africa do not have enough food. Excluding the on-going conflict in Angola, the immediate emerging crisis is in southern Africa where around 13 million people in six countries are estimated to be unlikely to grow or buy enough food by next March. My Department has recently published a strategy paper "Eliminating Hunger". This sets out our strategy to meet the millennium development goal for hunger and is relevant to the current problems in Africa. Humanitarian relief is only one part of our response, as the principal cause of hunger and starvation in Africa is poverty and the failure of institutions and Governments to provide for the poor and vulnerable and react to natural disaster. In the last complete financial year (2000–01) my Department provided £632 million to sub-Saharan Africa. Included within this figure was £44 million for humanitarian assistance. This represents an increase of 31 per cent. in funds allocated to sub-Saharan Africa from the previous financial year. In addition to this, DFID is providing £58 million specifically to help address the current crisis in southern Africa. It is, unfortunately, not possible to provide more detailed figures of the assessments of hunger and humanitarian expenditure in each country in southern Africa without disproportionate effort.

Africa

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures she is taking to help alleviate the famine crisis in southern Africa; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: In addition to the £13 million already allocated to direct support for food import and distribution in Malawi and Zimbabwe, we have recently committed £45 million for further support through the World Food Programme and NGOs for food distribution and inputs for the next planting season in Zimbabwe, Malawi Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland. These funds will also support information gathering and co-ordination. As well as making our national response, we are working with the relevant UN and regional organisations to ensure that policies are in place to allow commercial and aid imports to flow freely; and we are urging the Zimbabwe authorities through the UN to adopt measures to strengthen the national response in that country.
	We have also provided £2.4 million for humanitarian aid in Angola this year.

Africa

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she has taken (a) to provide food, (b) to support agriculture and (c) to combat HIV/AIDS in (i) Lesotho, (ii) Mozambique and (iii) Zambia; and what action she has taken to reduce trade barriers with (A) Lesotho, (B) Mozambique and (C) Zambia.

Clare Short: The information is as follows.
	Food Aid
	In Lesotho DFID will be providing £1.5 million to the WFP emergency programme and another additional £1.0 million to support the longer-term rehabilitation of agriculture in the three worst affected districts. Mozambique has a surplus of maize in the north, although logistics and traditional trading patterns will result in most of this surplus being exported to adjacent countries mainly Malawi. Several donors are already funding food relief where it is needed in the south. DFID is assessing the needs, but it is likely that we can add more value in Mozambique by assisting with the management of food aid or by focusing on agricultural inputs to improve food security for the next harvest. At the moment we are not engaged in food aid in Zambia.
	Agriculture
	In Lesotho, we are supporting a three year Agricultural Policy and Capacity building Programme (£750,000) in collaboration with other donors to restructure the Ministry of Agriculture and improve its operational effectiveness. We are providing support to CARE (£1.9 million) in two districts where they have been developing a more appropriate extension model that meets the needs of the rural people and empower households and communities. We are providing support to a Pilot Agro-forestry Programme (£214,130), to strengthen the capacity of small-scale nurseries.
	DFID is a key supporter of the Mozambique Government's sector programme in agriculture, ProAgri, which seeks to promote growth and poverty reduction by creating a dynamic agricultural sector. We have also been working for some years with NGOs in agricultural development in Zambezia Province. Much of the impact of the very successful feeder roads programme in Zambezia has also been felt in the agricultural sector, where transport and access to markets are key constraints on growth.
	In Zambia we have provided support for civil society groups working in the drought-prone southern province.
	HIV/AIDS
	DFID has committed £7.6 million over five years to fund a Regional HIV/AIDS Programme channelled through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Health Sector Co-ordinating Unit (HSCU), specifically earmarked for Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Namibia. The programme focuses on developing the capacity within each country and across the region to mount an effective response to the epidemic. The initiative complements an EU funded programme also channelled through the SADC HSCU which is to benefit all member states.
	Mozambique's national HIV prevalence is 12.2 per cent. 1.1 million people are HIV positive. DFID supports the Mozambique National AIDS Council in its multisectoral response (£3.8 million); supports key civil society organisations (£7.6 million), and is supporting the Government to work with young people in and out of school to prevent HIV infection. We are working with the Ministry of Health to provide a broader health sector response to HIV/AIDs (£1.85 million). Jointly with other donors, we are currently providing additional support (£25 million) to the health sector and this funds a significant proportion of Mozambique's essential medicines requirements.
	In Zambia the main support to date has been through the health and education sectors, however, DFID is currently preparing a programme that will provide an additional £20 million to support the national strategic framework.
	Trade
	Considerable DFID effort is allocated towards trade capacity building for developing countries and lobbying for greater market access with EU member states and with the WTO.
	Lesotho, as a member of the Southern African Customs University is part of the recently agreed SACU Free Trade Agreement, it is also a recipient of the Cotonou Agreement trade preferences. DFID has offered support to Lesotho in trade policy negotiations and capacity building through the Africa Trade and Poverty Programme.
	Mozambique and Zambia as least developed countries, both benefit from duty and quota free access for their products into the UK under the EU 'Everything But Arms' initiative, the introduction of which the UK Government strongly supported. They also benefit from the Cotonou Agreement. DFID is working with the Governments in these countries in ways that will help them take advantage of these and new market opportunities.

Food Strategies

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether an agreed strategy has been reached by OECD countries, the World Food Programme and NGOs, both international and local, on the food strategies affecting southern Africa which take into account the region's political and economic dynamics.

Clare Short: Agreement was reached at a meeting in Johannesburg on 6–7 June on a series of short-term measures to improve availability of food in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland in the period to the next harvest, including commercial food imports, food aid, winter cropping and inputs for the next main planting season.
	The meeting also dealt with the particular problems of Zimbabwe, which accounts for over half of the region's food aid needs. Donors wish to continue supporting the people of Zimbabwe who have been so badly let down by the policies of the ruling party. They are prepared to continue funding food distribution through non- governmental channels, but it is clear that this can only provide part of the solution and that Government must take steps to allow greater participation in the import effort and make the necessary adjustments in economic policy for this to be effective.
	In the longer term food security must be addressed through country level poverty reduction strategies which we are supporting in four of the six countries considered at the meeting.

Food Strategies

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work her Department is undertaking to ensure that there is (a) accurate information on the country specific food shortages in southern Africa and (b) adequate co-ordination of the humanitarian operation at both national and regional levels in southern Africa.

Clare Short: We are working closely with the relevant UN organisations and NGOs operating in the region. The main source of information at present is the series of crop and food supply assessments carried out by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme (available on www.fao.org). We are supporting continuing vulnerability and nutritional assessments to ensure information is available at sub-national level.
	The World Food Programme has set up a unit in Johannesburg to manage the use of transport and regional supplies and to co-ordinate the international effort. We will provide financial and personnel support for the unit.

Food Strategies

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what resources her Department will allocate to combat the food shortages in Southern Africa; and what time scale these resources will be intended to cover.

Clare Short: In addition to the £13 million already allocated to direct support for food import and distribution in Malawi and Zimbabwe, we have recently committed £45 million for further support through the World Food Programme and NGOs for food distribution and inputs for the next planting season in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland. This will be spent up to March 2003; the amount will be reviewed in the light of emerging needs and responses from others.
	We have also provided £2.4 million for humanitarian aid in Angola this year.

Water

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had since January 2001 with UN and EU representatives regarding the global clean water supply.

Clare Short: I have had no direct discussions on this matter with UN and EU representatives since January 2001. However, I have worked on this issue with my officials who are in regular contact on water supply, sanitation and water resources issues with counterparts in EU member states, the EC and relevant UN organisations.

Water

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on plans to liberalise water services.

Clare Short: 1.1 billion people lack access to safe and affordable water supply and 2.4 billion lack access to sanitation. In developing countries poor people often pay far more than the better off for their water. We are committed to improving access to safe and affordable water supply and sanitation services. Partnerships involving the public and private sectors and civil society will be essential to achieve this. Our focus is to support the structuring of these partnerships in a way that responds to the needs of, and ensures benefits for, poor people through pro-poor contracts, good regulatory frameworks, and appropriate tariff structures.

Water

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government have taken since 1997 to increase access to clean water in the Third World; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: My Department is committed to the Millennium Development Goal of halving, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water, and to a complementary target for access to improved sanitation.
	DFID has an extensive programme of engagement in water supply, sanitation and water resources management through our bilateral support to developing countries. In 2000–01 DFID spent £90.6 million on improving access to water services, an increase of 7 per cent. on the previous year. At an international level we are actively engaged in encouraging policies and practices that will ensure that poor people benefit from improved access to water and sanitation services. DFID's priorities are set out in our strategy paper "Addressing the Water Crisis—Healthier and More Productive Lives for Poor People", which is available in the Library of the House.

Entertainment Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of the Department's 2001 staff Christmas Party; and how many people attended.

Clare Short: DFID did not hold a departmental staff Christmas party in 2001.

Members of Parliament (Personal Data)

Eric Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what information is held by her Department on each hon. Member in relation to (a) personal relationships, both current and past, (b) financial status and dealings, (c) connections with companies and interest groups, (d) connections with Governments and (e) published works; and what was held in January 2002.

Clare Short: With the exception of those details available publicly in DOD's Parliamentary Companion, none.

Development Council

George Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcome of the Development Council held on 30 May was; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: At its meeting on 30 May, the Development Council, by consensus:
	agreed conclusions on the external dimension of EU Sustainable Development Strategy and preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development;
	agreed procedural conclusions welcoming a proposal to define a common EU approach to democracy and governance in developing countries;
	debated the reform of EC Development Assistance and the Programme of Action 2002;
	agreed a declaration reaffirming its support for the work of UNFPA; and
	agreed joint resolutions with member states on education and training in the context of poverty reduction in developing countries, and on health and poverty reduction in developing countries; a resolution on water management in developing countries; conclusions on improving EU development response towards ACP crisis and conflict affected countries, and on information and communication technologies in development; and declarations on the World Food Summit, and on the food crisis in southern Africa.
	There were also informal discussions of recent developments in Afghanistan and Sudan.

Pakistan

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the Government's policy is on the World bank loan to Pakistan agreed on 11 June.

Clare Short: The World bank board has voted in favour of the Second Structural Adjustment Credit ($500 million) to Pakistan. The loan is part of the international package of assistance to Pakistan's Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy, and supports reform measures that have already been taken. The UK made clear at the board meeting that we strongly support the Pakistan reform agenda but we expressed concerns about the risks posed by the threat of war, and the low levels of social and poverty-related expenditures.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Queen's Jubilee Medal

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will estimate the cost of awarding the Queen's Jubilee Medal to (a) Yeomen of the Queen's Bodyguard, (b) Gentlemen at Arms and (c) the Queen's Bodyguard for Scotland, The Royal Company of Archers.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The medal is being issued to serving members of the armed forces, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the emergency services who completed five years or more reckonable service on 6 February 2002. The holders of the George Cross and Victoria Cross are also receiving the medal. The estimated cost is £7.8 million. The Yeoman of the Queen's Body Guard; Gentleman at Arms; and the Queen's Bodyguard for Scotland, The Royal Company of Archers are not eligible to receive the medal because they are not serving members of the armed forces or emergency services.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Castlereagh Break-in

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the (a) length of employment within a police establishment and (b) security vetting of the former chef who was recently arrested in the United States in relation to the breach of national security at Castlereagh police station.

Jane Kennedy: The criminal investigation into the break-in at Castlereagh is continuing and the Acting Chief Constable has advised me that the PSNI are actively pursuing lines of inquiry. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the detail of the incident while the investigation is on-going.

Staff Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what have been the total salary costs of each of the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The total salary costs of each of the non-departmental public bodies in each of the last five years:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997–98  
			 Probation Board 6,212,700 
			 Juvenile Justice centres 4,980,382 
			 Police Service 496,330,000 
			 ICPC 539,000 
			   
			 1998–99  
			 Probation Board 6,578,309 
			 Juvenile Justice centres 4,907,237 
			 Police Service 502,800,000 
			 ICPC 530,000 
			   
			 1999–2000  
			 Probation Board 6,877,930 
			 Juvenile Justice centres 4,737,733 
			 Police Service 495,052,000 
			 ICPC 539,000 
			 NI Human Rights Commission 404,595 
			   
			 2000–01  
			 Probation Board 7,142,880 
			 Juvenile Justice centres 4,384,050 
			 Police Service 489,152,000 
			 ICPC (12)319,000 
			 Police Ombudsman (13)760,000 
			 NI Human Rights Commission 524,838 
			   
			 2001–02  
			 Probation Board  
			 Juvenile Justice centresfigures not yet available  
			 Police Service  
			 Police Ombudsman  
			 NI Human Rights Commission 519,762 
		
	
	(12) 7 months
	(13) 5 months

Recruitment

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many net additional staff his Department has recruited in each month since June 2001 at (a) executive officer level and (b) administrative level.

John Reid: In the absence of approved staff complements (approved staff ceilings) being held in the Northern Ireland Office the information as requested cannot be provided. Staffing levels are dictated by administration costs.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how much has been spent by his Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how much has been spent by his Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how much has been spent by his Department on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office are able to take advantage of the programmes for Ministers organised by the Centre for Management and Policy Studies (CMPS) in the Cabinet Office. This programme has not delivered training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts or training in leadership skills or voice training.
	Civil servants in the NIO have not received training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts or voice coaching. Civil servants have received training courses in leadership but this information has only been recorded separately since 1999–2000. The spend is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999–2000 33,274 
			 2000–01 16,520 
			 2001–02 23,750

External Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much expenditure his Department has incurred in each year since 1997 on employing external consultants to deal with the press and public relations of his Department.

Jane Kennedy: The Northern Ireland Office has not employed any external consultants in a press or public relations capacity within the period stated.

Police Board of Northern Ireland

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the attendance record for (a) elected and (b) non-elected members of the Police Board of Northern Ireland has been at (i) full Police Board meetings and (ii) Police Board sub-committee meetings since the Board went live.

Jane Kennedy: The information is provided (by alphabetical order) in the following tables. The reference to sub-committees of the Policing Board has been taken to mean committees of the board, established under paragraph 24 of schedule 1 to the Police (NI) Act 2000. Some committees have sub-committees, details of which have not been included.
	
		Elected members of Northern Ireland Policing Board
		
			   Number of attendances at:  
			 Full name Board meetings Committees Number of possible committee meetings 
		
		
			 Mr. Alex Attwood MLA 10 9 9 
			 Mr. Joe Byrne MLA 10 12 12 
			 Mr. Fred Cobain MLA 10 9 12 
			 Mr. Sam Foster MLA(14) 6 2 4 
			 Mr. William Hay MLA 10 6 8 
			 Lord Kilclooney MLA 7 1 8 
			 Mr. Alan McFarland MLA(14) 6 5 5 
			 Mr. Eddy McGrady MLA 9 6 (15)14 
			 Mr. Ian Paisley Jnr MLA 10 4 8 
			 Mr. Sammy Wilson MLA 10 11 14 
		
	
	(14) Appointed from February 2002
	(15) Substitutes nominated on six occasions
	
		Non-elected members of Northern Ireland Policing Board
		
			   Number of attendances at:  
			 Full name Board meetings Committees Number of possible committee meetings 
		
		
			 Mr. Denis Bradley 10 13 13 
			 Viscount Brookeborough 9 8 9 
			 Mr. Brian Dougherty 10 7 7 
			 Mr. Barry Gilligan 10 13 14 
			 Mr. Tom Kelly 8 4 5 
			 Mrs. Pauline McCabe 9 15 16 
			 Mrs. Rosaleen Moore 10 5 7 
			 Professor Desmond Rea 10 9 12 
			 Mr. Suneil Sharma 6 12 16

Early Release Scheme

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of those persons released from prison in Northern Ireland under the terms of the early release scheme have been (a) questioned regarding terrorist-related incidents that have taken place since their release, (b) charged with terrorist-related offences and (c) convicted of those offences.

Jane Kennedy: Information is not held centrally regarding the numbers of people specifically questioned or interviewed in relation to any type of criminal offence.
	To date (14 June 2002), four individuals released early under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 have been charged with scheduled offences while on licence. Of the four, three have been convicted and one has yet to have had the charges against him dealt with.

TRANSPORT

Rail Network Management Strategy

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when Railtrack's Network Management Statement 2002 will be published.

David Jamieson: This is a matter for Railtrack and the Rail Regulator.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 2 May 2002, Official Report, column, 900W, on London Underground, if he will list the appropriate regulatory clearances required by (a) his Department, (b) London Transport, (c) Transport for London and (d) the INFRACOs, in each case listing the date on which application (i) has and (ii) will be made; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	(a) The Government submitted to the European Commission on 12 April a notification in accordance with Article 88(3) EC Treaty and Article 2 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 659/1999.
	(b) I understand that:
	(i) London Underground has undertaken interim reviews and intends to undertake a full review of the final transaction documents with regard to Article 81 EC Treaty when they are in their final form;
	(ii) Satisfactory clearance under Council Regulation (EC) No. 4064/89 as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No. 1310/97 will need to have been obtained by one of the consortia before the relevant contracts can be implemented. London Underground will wish to know that the other consortium has obtained satisfactory clearance under the mergers provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973;
	(iii) London Underground submitted a revised railway safety case (Version 3.1) to the Health and Safety Executive on 19 December 2001;
	(iv) London Transport requires no additional clearances.
	(c) This is a matter for Transport for London.
	(d) The Infracos are subsidiaries of London Underground.

Local Bus Services

Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps the Government are taking to ensure that private bus companies continue to provide comprehensive local bus services to small communities.

John Spellar: I have been asked to reply.
	The provision of bus services to small communities is one of the issues we would expect local authorities to consider when drawing up their local transport plans. We encourage local authorities to work in partnership with operators to help meet the public transport needs in their area, and they may also, where necessary, provide funding for bus services that are not being met commercially.
	My Department also provides support for bus services in small communities in rural areas by means of the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant and Rural Bus Challenge schemes. These two schemes have been allocated a total of £198 million over the period 2001–02 to 2003–04.
	Additional support is provided by the Countryside Agency for small-scale rural transport projects through its Rural Transport Partnership scheme for which £32 million is available for the period 2001–02 to 2003–04.

Traffic Management

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will have discussions with his US counterpart on the measures used there to reduce traffic congestion without increasing taxation; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: I have been asked to reply.
	The United States, at federal and state level, have put in place or tested a range of measures aimed at tackling traffic congestion, such as controlling access to the freeway network and dedicating lanes for buses or high occupancy vehicles, and are investing in telematics to manage road space more effectively. They have also taken steps to improve the management of incidents on major roads. Their approach is broadly similar to that being developed here and in many other western countries.
	There is regular dialogue between this country and the United States on transportation matters, including road traffic management, to share experience and exchange best practice. I look forward to discussing our respective approaches with my US counterpart when the opportunity arises.

Paddington Rail Crash

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the meeting between his Department and the Paddington Survivors' group on 12 September 2001; and if he will place copies of the minutes in the Library.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Secretary of State met the Paddington Survivors Group on 12 September to hear their views in advance of the publication on 20 September of part 2 of Lord Cullen's report into the Ladbroke Grove rail crash. Recent allegations that the Secretary of State suggested at this meeting that Railtrack would be taken into administration are without foundation.
	It is not normal practice to place the minutes of ministerial meetings in the House Libraries.

Channel Tunnel

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2002, Official Report, column 567W, on the channel tunnel, what recent discussions he has had with the French Government regarding the policing resources at Fréthun; what British policing resources are in place to support anti-intrusion measures; if he will claim compensation from the French Government for the companies affected by asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: We continue to discuss channel tunnel issues with France at the highest levels. On 17 May my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary spoke at length with French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy. It was a constructive discussion which covered a range of issues, in particular illegal immigration and the policing of the SNCF site in Fréthun. M Sarkozy assured the Home Secretary that the existing policing resources would be maintained. Further bilateral meetings are planned.
	There are no powers for British police to operate on French soil to support anti-intrusion measures at Fréthun. However, we have expressed our willingness in principle to help in any way we can with improvements to physical security. In particular we are willing to provide specialist detection equipment. In the UK, the British Transport Police attend the Dollands Moor freight depot as necessary to detain and process clandestines.
	As far as compensation is concerned, freight operators can seek to enforce EU law on the free movement of goods in the French courts, and this could include a claim for losses caused by the breach of that law.

Airports

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2002, Official Report, column 375W, on airports, what further research has been commissioned and when the research is due to be reported; to whom the results will be published; who has been commissioned to carry out the research; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Further research has been commissioned by the Department to reassess attitudes to aircraft noise in England; their correlation with the Leq noise index; and to examine (hypothetical) willingness to pay in respect of nuisance from such noise, in relation to other elements, on the basis of stated preference (SP) survey evidence.
	The consultation document "The Future of Aviation" (DETR December 2000) explained that further research into the monetary valuation of the effects of noise may be needed to inform charging strategies. The research is designed to underpin the Government's stated principle set out in "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone" (Cm3950) that the aviation industry should meet the external costs it imposes.
	The research contract was awarded to a consortium led by the MVA Consultancy last November and is expected to last approximately three years. The work is split into two stages with Phase I focusing on i) the development of the sampling strategy and assessment of the feasibility of using Stated Preference techniques and ii) an initial assessment of the Leq/annoyance relationship. This phase is expected to last until the end of the year. A decision to proceed to Phase II will depend on the Phase I findings. The results of the research will be disseminated widely.

European Rail Systems

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) terms and conditions, (b) terms of reference and (c) jurisdiction are planned for the European Rail Agency.

John Spellar: According to the draft proposal, the purpose of the European Rail Agency is "to contribute, on technical matters, to implementation of the community legislation aiming at enhancing the level of interoperability of rail systems and at developing a common approach to safety on the European railway system". Its role would be to establish a source of neutral technical expertise at a European level. It would have no autonomous decision-making powers, but would provide advice and technical support to decisions made by the Commission and member states.
	Consideration of the Agency proposal has not yet started in the Council and its proposed role and governance may change as a result of these discussions.

European Rail Systems

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he plans to promote the inter- operability of EU rail systems; what their approximate cost is; and what timetable is planned for their implementation.

John Spellar: The UK is involved in European discussions on the development of interoperability, and the Department, working closely with the Strategic Rail Authority and Health and Safety Executive, and in consultation with the rail industry, will continue to implement and ensure compliance with the relevant directives as appropriate.
	Regulations to implement directive 96/48/EC on the interoperability of the high-speed trans-European rail network came into force on 16 May 2002. A Regulatory Impact Assessment, which addresses the cost of implementation of these regulations, was placed in the House Library on 25 April 2002. Guidance on the scope and application of the regulations has been published on the Department's website and is also available in printed form.
	Directive 2001/16/EC on the interoperability of the conventional trans-European rail network is due to be implemented by March 2003. We shall in due course produce a further Regulatory Impact Assessment to accompany the necessary regulations.
	There is no timetable for making rail systems interoperable. The directives do not require projects to be initiated—the obligation to comply with their provisions only arises where new projects are undertaken. Implementation will, therefore, be gradual.

Rail Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation he has had with HM Railway Inspectors in regard to the findings of their inspections of driver management; how many companies were surveyed; what the results were; what changes he plans to the inspection regime; and what response has been received from the companies inspected.

John Spellar: The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) inspected the driver management processes in 12 train operating companies (TOCs) and one freight operating company during 2000–01. The findings were published on the HSE's website on 23 January 2002 and were circulated to the Secretary of State, the rail industry and trade unions.
	The findings were part of a planned three-year inspection programme covering all major TOCs in the Railway Group. The aim of the inspection programme was to assess the robustness of systems covering drivers' competence and fitness with reference to the requirements of the Railways (Safety Critical Work) Regulations 1994. Key areas included recruitment, training, ongoing maintenance of drivers' fitness and competence, safety briefing and monitoring and audit of systems.
	Each TOC received a report containing agreed actions which HMRI required them to pursue. These TOCs are being visited by HMRI during 2002–03 as part of the normal inspection plan to ensure that they have adequately addressed the matters raised.
	In general, the HSE reports that improvements have been made over the past three years in the area of driver training, a significant issue given the large numbers of drivers now being trained. The TOCs have produced action plans that they are working through. HMRI will check that actions agreed with the TOCs are completed as part of normal inspection activity.

Rail Safety

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 10 June 2002, Official Report, column 780W, on rail safety, if he will have discussions with the British Transport police on these and other incidents of vandalism on the railway.

David Jamieson: This is an operational matter for the British Transport police, the Health and Safety Executive and the railways industry.

Rail Safety

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement regarding the proposal for the introduction of a community safety certificate as outlined in Council Document 5744/02.

David Jamieson: The Government supports in principle the European Commission's proposals for a community safety certificate for railway undertakings, which are part of a wider package of measures to promote rail safety and facilitate access to the EU rail market. We will take into account the results of our consultation exercise on these measures before reaching a final position.

Piggyback Trains

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the piggyback trains that won the SRA's freight innovation competition have passed the tests necessary for certification to ensure that they comply with the W6A loading gauge to (a) UIC and (b) Railtrack Group Standards; and when certification was granted.

David Jamieson: The SRA have been assured by Babcock, the manufacturers of the wagon, that it will meet the criteria for W6A gauge. Certification takes place when manufacture is complete. This is expected by the end of September 2002.

Large Goods Vehicles

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average age is of drivers of large goods vehicles.

David Jamieson: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's latest statistics, for March 2000, indicate that the average age of drivers of large goods vehicles is 42.6 years.

Large Goods Vehicles

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with representatives of the road haulage industry about projected shortages of large goods vehicles drivers.

David Jamieson: The road haulage industry is responsible for recruiting, retaining and training the workforce it needs, including LGV drivers.
	The Government has discussed on many occasions the challenges the industry is facing through the Road Haulage Forum, and set up over a year ago a separate training sub-group which includes representatives of the Freight Transport Association, the Road Haulage Association, and the Transport and General Workers Union. The sub-group, which is chaired by Edward Roderick, Chief Executive of Christian Salvesen, met most recently on 24 May.
	Through the main Forum the training sub-group has access to funds from the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund. We have already committed an initial £5 million to a package of measures including an expansion of the Young Drivers Scheme, a demonstration project under Modern Apprenticeships and a feasibility study on transferable training loans. The measures are aimed at helping the industry recruit more young people and protecting employer investment in training.

Rail Capacity

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is for increasing capacity on the London, Tilbury Southend rail line to enable it to meet the Strategic Rail Authority target for passenger numbers; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: C2C, the current franchise operator, has introduced new rolling stock and is considering measures to increase the numbers of passengers travelling. The Strategic Rail Authority has commissioned work on a Capacity Utilisation Policy, which is intended ultimately to cover all rail routes. The objective of this work is to ensure that track capacity is used most effectively so that the optimum number of train paths is made available on each route, enabling the greatest number of trains to run.

Canvey Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will have discussions on the provision of an additional access road for Canvey Island passing over land to the west of Canvey Island controlled by Thurrock Unitary Authority.

David Jamieson: Working out a satisfactory solution to the problems of Canvey Island is a matter for the local authorities in partnerships with the community, business, transport operators and others, as part of the Thames Gateway proposals. The Department is not in a position to promote schemes in areas where local authorities must take the lead. Therefore, at this stage, the Secretary of State has no plans to hold any discussions on the provision of a third access to Canvey Island.

Blue Badge Scheme

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many representations were received in response to the consultation discussion paper on the blue badge scheme by the Disabled Person's Advisory Committee;
	(2)  what recommendations were made to the Government by the Disabled Person's Transport Advisory Committee following its study into the blue badge scheme; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many people were (a) charged and (b) convicted of fraud as a result of misuse of blue badge disability vehicle stickers in each year since 1995;
	(4)  when he expects to announce his conclusions on the operation of the blue badge scheme, following the investigation carried out by the Disabled Person's Transport Advisory Committee.

David Jamieson: A total of 307 responses were received to the discussion paper on the blue badge scheme which was issued in December 2001. The Disabled Persons Transport Committee (DPTAC) were asked to look at those responses and they submitted their recommendations to Ministers at the beginning of May. We are currently considering their report and would plan to publish it when we announce a decision on the future shape of the Scheme during this summer. We will then be looking at the mechanics of implementation and consulting again on firm proposals.
	General practitioners have never had the power to issue blue badges. They may be consulted as part of the assessment process but the final decision on eligibility is made by the issuing authority against the criteria listed in The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) Regulations 2000 [SI 2000/682]. The role of GPs in this procedure is being considered as part of the current review of the Scheme and I would not want to pre-empt our full consideration of DPTAC's report at this stage.
	No records are kept centrally by my Department on the number of charges and convictions for misuse of disabled persons' parking cards. there is no legal requirement for local authorities to collate such data.

Blue Badge Scheme

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to reduce (a) abuse of the Blue Badge Scheme and (b) the use of disabled parking bays by unqualified users.

David Jamieson: The Blue Badge Scheme only applies to on-street parking. Local authorities, who are responsible for administering the scheme, have a wide variety of powers available to tackle abuse.
	In terms of the badge:
	it is an offence under section 117 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the badge itself to be misused by a non-disabled person, the maximum fine on conviction being £1,000.
	Local authorities have powers to withdraw a badge if the holder constantly misuses it or allows it to be misused by others.
	In respect of disabled persons parking bays:
	it is an offence under section 47 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to park a vehicle which is not displaying a badge in a designated disabled persons' parking bay.
	The issues of abuse and misuse of badges are a major part of a review of the scheme that we are currently undertaking. We have already held a wide ranging consultation and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC, our statutory advisers on the transport needs of disabled people) have considered the responses and have put forward recommendations to Ministers. We are currently considering their report and we hope to be able to make a decision on the way forward during the summer.
	In the meantime, it is open to anybody to bring instances of abuse to the attention of the police, traffic wardens or the appropriate local authority and we will continue to work with these bodies and with organisations representing disabled people to minimise the potential for abuse and misuse.

Rail Franchises

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2001 from the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, Official Report, column 875W, on rail franchises, what progress has been made; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority is continuing its negotiations with Stagecoach Group plc.

Braer

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answers of 28 November 2001, Official Report, column 935W, on the Braer, what assessment his Department made of the Marine Accidents Investigation Board conclusion that the tanker Braer was seaworthy when it entered British territorial waters.

David Jamieson: The Department has no reason to question the assessment made by the Marine Accidents Investigation Branch that the tanker Braer was seaworthy at the start of her final voyage.

Braer

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2001, Official Report, column 935W, on the Braer, on what grounds the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents decided that the logbooks did not constitute new and important evidence.

David Jamieson: The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents carefully examined the copies of the logbooks kept by the shore loading terminal and noted that reference was made to 'steam line problems'. The grounds on which he made his assessment was that while the entries would have been made based on information provided by the ship, the overwhelming evidence from every other source indicates that the problems on board were confined to feedwater pipework and not the steam system. This was freely admitted but did not constitute the vessel being declared unseaworthy.
	The Chief Inspector has, therefore, concluded that the logbooks do not constitute "new and important" evidence to justify the re-opening of the Braer investigation.

A63

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the inspector's report of the public inquiry into the A63 Melton Junction will be published.

John Spellar: The inspector's report will be published when the Secretary of State announces a decision. This is expected by the middle of July 2002.

Transport Expenditure

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much public expenditure was invested in (a) roads and (b) local transport in England and Wales in 2001–02; and what is planned for 2002–03.

David Jamieson: holding answer 13 June 2002
	Provisional figures show that in 2001–02 total public expenditure on strategic roads was £1,685 million; and on local transport (which includes local roads) was £2,824 million. The latter figure includes spending in London, of which some will be funding for London Underground Ltd.
	For 2002–03 planned public expenditure on strategic roads is £1,832 million and on local transport (which includes local roads) is £3,971 million. The latter figure includes spending in London, of which some will be funding for London Underground Ltd.

Transport Expenditure

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on (a) roads and (b) other forms of public transport, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: Figure for years up to 1999–2000 are published in Table 1.16 of Transport Statistics Great Britain (TSGB) 2001, a copy of which is available in the Libraries of the House. Figures for 2000–01 will be published in TSGB 2002 in October.

Wembley Park Tube Station

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on plans for the redevelopment of Wembley Park tube station.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, North (Mr. Gardiner) on 12 March 2002, and printed in Hansard on 19 March 2002, Official Report, columns 237–38W.

Roads (Noise)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the criteria for establishing priorities for the resurfacing of concrete trunk roads.

David Jamieson: holding answer 13 June 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd, West (Gareth Thomas) on 17 October 2001, Official Report, columns 1228–29W.

Roads (Noise)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the money allocated for noise reduction work on the motorway network for 2001–02 was spent.

David Jamieson: holding answer 13 June 2002
	I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Mark Oaten
	I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, to reply to your recently Parliamentary Question about noise reduction work on the motorway network.
	Traffic noise on the network as a whole is being tackled through programmes of quieter surfacing and noise mitigation measures, such as noise barriers. I regret that it is not possible to identify spend solely on the motorway network. However, last year we were asked to spend at least £5m to provide noise mitigation measures across the network as a whole as set out in Hansard (Column 682 in November 1999) and spent £7.2m. Funding for quieter surfaces is allocated as part of our Roads Renewals budget. Last year we spend £252.4m, marginally more than our allocation of £249.3m.

Roads (London)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the vehicle capacity was of each leg of the junctions at (a) Vauxhall Cross, (b) Lambeth Bridge/Lambeth Bridge Road, (c) Westminster Bridge/ Westminster Bridge Road, (d) Waterloo Bridge/York Road and (e) Trafalgar Square (i) in 1997 and (ii) at the most recent date for which information is available prior to the establishment of the GLA.

David Jamieson: My Department does not hold this information. The relevant roads were the responsibility of either Westminster city council or Lambeth borough council before the establishment of the GLA. Further information can be obtained from:
	Westminster city council
	Martin Low
	Head of Traffic and Transportation
	Department of Planning and Environment
	City of Westminster
	Westminster City Hall
	64 Victoria Street
	London SW1E 6QP
	Lambeth borough council
	Michael Bridgeland
	Head of Transport and Highways (Interim)
	London Borough of Lambeth
	Blue Star House
	234–244 Stockwell Road
	Brixton Hill
	London SW9 9SP.

Passenger Carrying Vehicle Conversion

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to ensure that conversions from commercial vans to passenger carrying vehicles, of all sizes, have been completed to meet legal requirements.

David Jamieson: In common with purpose built vehicles, commercial vehicles that are converted to passenger carrying vehicles and are licensed as PSV's are subject to initial testing if they are to be used for hire and reward. All such vehicles are also subject to annual testing and random enforcement checks by either the police or officials from the Department's Vehicle Inspectorate Agency.

Sea Safety

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to liaise with the (a) Secretary of State for Education and Skills and (b) the devolved Parliament and Assemblies to find new ways of promoting Sea Safety and the Sea Smart code.

David Jamieson: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) as the executive agency with responsibility for Sea Safety and Sea Smart is currently developing new approaches to improve safety at sea and at the coast and will liaise with the Department for Education and Skills and also the devolved Administrations.
	Within its current business plan the agency has three pilot projects in progress on accident prevention across the leisure and fishing industries to develop suitable methods to improve sea safety and to measure the impact of any new measures.

Pollution From Ships

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an assessment of the National Audit Office report Dealing with Pollution from Ships published on 12 June; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: When read in its entirety, the Comptroller and Auditor General's report "Dealing with pollution from ships" is a soundly based, balanced and well rounded report which recognises the very substantial achievements of my Department and its Maritime and Coastguard Agency in minimising the risk of pollution of the marine environment from ships and, where pollution occurs, in minimising the impact of that pollution on UK waters, coastlines and economic interests.
	The report has much to say that is positive, while also highlighting areas where it perceives that there is work to be done. I welcome the findings contained in the report, and am considering the best way to address the recommendations.

Pollution From Ships

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 to remove the statutory defence against prosecution it confers upon masters of vessels who take reasonable steps to reduce or stop pollution after their vessels have been damaged.

David Jamieson: In the light of the differences between the defences available under the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Oil Pollution) Regulations 1996, applying to our Pollution Control Zone, and those available under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 when offences take place in UK waters inside our baselines, the Department will consider the alignment of the defences that should apply in both areas. This may require subsequent amendment of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 as the defences within the 1996 Regulations derive from an International Convention.

Pollution From Ships

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend the Merchant Shipping Prevention of Oil Pollution Regulations 1996 to extend their applicability to areas landward of the baseline designating the start of the UK's 12-mile territorial waters.

David Jamieson: The Comptroller and Auditor General has recommended, in his report "Dealing with pollution from ships", that the Merchant Shipping legislation be revised to ensure that pollution incidents may be prosecuted under the UK's oil pollution regulations, wherever incidents occur within the UK Pollution Control Zone. This recommendation relates to the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Oil Pollution) Regulations 1996, SI 1996/2154.
	As the report explains, the 1996 Regulations are concerned with areas seaward from the baseline from which the United Kingdom's territorial sea is measured. Illegal discharges of oil in the internal waters landward of that baseline (including estuaries) can be prosecuted under section 131 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. Defences are available under both the 1996 Regulations and the 1995 Act. However those under the 1995 Act are different in some key details from those provided under the 1996 Regulations. In the light of the concerns raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Department will consider the alignment of the defences under both the Regulation and the Act. This may involve subsequent amendment of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 as the defences in the 1996 Regulations derive from an International Convention.

Vehicle Registration Numbers

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 10 June 2002, Official Report, column 770W, on vehicle registration numbers, whether he intends to extend the vehicle registration number facility to cater for third parties through a regulatory reform order; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: We are keen to introduce third party entitlement at the earliest opportunity. We are looking for a suitable legislative slot. The regulatory reform procedure is being considered along with other options.

Household Statistics

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many households there are in each fire authority area; and what the population is in each area;
	(2)  how many households he estimates include at least (a) one child under four and (b) adult over 65 in each fire authority area.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mrs. Theresa May, dated 17 June 2002
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent questions on (i) the population and number of households in each fire authority area, and (ii) the number of households in each fire authority area with at least one (a) child under four and (b) adult over 65. (60445 & 60446)
	The latest available estimates, for the three month period ending February 2002, are given in the table attached.
	These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey.
	
		Fire authorities in the United Kingdom—Winter (December to February) 2001–02(16) -- Thousand
		
			   Households  
			  Population(17) Total Including at least one child under 4 Including at least one adult over 65 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 59,211 25,717 2,716 6,334 
			  
			 England and Wales 52,499 22,833 2,407 5,640 
			  
			 England 49,589 21,578 2,283 5,297 
			  
			 England non-metropolitan authorities 31,194 13,519 1,375 3,492 
			 Avon 1,023 441 47 101 
			 Bedfordshire 565 230 30 41 
			 Berkshire 778 322 38 66 
			 Buckinghamshire 687 286 29 61 
			 Cambridgeshire 722 328 32 88 
			 Cheshire 965 417 47 103 
			 Cleveland 554 244 24 61 
			 Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly(18) 495 217 20 60 
			 Cumbria 476 216 19 56 
			 Derbyshire 973 424 40 108 
			 Devon 1,082 506 43 140 
			 Dorset 682 301 26 103 
			 Durham 595 263 24 65 
			 East Sussex 753 346 29 107 
			 Essex 1,631 700 74 182 
			 Gloucestershire 558 244 23 66 
			 Hampshire 1,627 713 74 175 
			 Herefordshire and Worcestershire 701 309 29 92 
			 Hertfordshire 1,052 442 51 113 
			 Humberside 865 366 39 90 
			 Isle of Wight 131 57 (19)— 18 
			 Kent 1,597 689 75 181 
			 Lancashire 1,406 626 61 158 
			 Leicestershire 930 385 41 98 
			 Lincolnshire 633 278 21 76 
			 Norfolk 806 350 29 109 
			 North Yorkshire 742 317 26 92 
			 Northamptonshire 625 260 35 58 
			 Northumberland 304 132 10 33 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,017 447 46 107 
			 Oxfordshire 634 275 30 60 
			 Shropshire 433 199 19 52 
			 Somerset 491 206 22 57 
			 Staffordshire 1,044 443 52 113 
			 Suffolk 675 288 29 70 
			 Surrey 1,076 452 54 115 
			 Warwickshire 505 216 19 49 
			 West Sussex 757 332 32 102 
			 Wiltshire 605 253 31 66 
			  
			 England metropolitan authorities 18,395 8,059 908 1,805 
			 Greater Manchester 2,566 1,149 133 255 
			 Merseyside 1,389 596 56 156 
			 South Yorkshire 1,283 565 67 137 
			 Tyne and Wear 1,076 481 51 123 
			 West Midlands 2,578 1,084 130 272 
			 West Yorkshire 2,107 904 95 209 
			 Greater London 7,397 3,281 376 653 
			  
			 Wales 2,911 1,255 123 344 
			 North Wales 651 277 29 70 
			 Mid and West Wales 841 372 34 118 
			 South Wales 1,419 606 60 156 
			  
			 Northern Ireland 1,683 646 92 156 
			 Scotland 5,028 2,237 218 538 
			 Strathclyde 2,221 1,005 105 238 
			 Highlands and Islands 267 114 (19)— 31 
			 Grampian 514 218 19 50 
			 Tayside 374 175 14 49 
			 Lothian and Borders 890 390 37 83 
			 Fife 349 151 18 36 
			 Central 274 121 11 32 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 141 64 (19)— 18 
		
	
	(16) Not seasonally adjusted.
	(17) The populations listed in this table are those used in the context of LFS estimates. They include people resident in private households, student halls of residence and NHS accommodation.
	(18) The LFS does not provide for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly separately.
	(19) Sample size too small for reliable estimate.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Fire Appliances

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fire appliances were available in England and Wales on 31 March, broken down by (a) county and (b) London borough.

Nick Raynsford: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 6 December 2001, Official Report, columns 449–50W.

Departmental Policies (Wycombe)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the activities pursued by his Department that have had a particular impact on the Wycombe constituency since 7 June 2001.

Nick Raynsford: I have been asked to reply.
	The former Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions was responsible for major programmes of capital investment in transport, housing and urban renewal, and implementing strategic policy objectives, many of which have long-term horizons—the transport 10-year plan, the programme for modernising local government, the urban renewal agenda.
	Many of these programmes will impact on the hon. Member's constituency. For example: Wycombe district council received a Housing Capital Guideline allocation of £1,455,000 for 2002–03 plus an additional Basic Credit Approval of £100,000 based on performance. Wycombe district council received a Disabled Facilities Grant allocation of £228,000. The Secretary of State approved spending on the Cash Incentive Scheme of £154,162 for 2001–02 and £134,417 for 2002–03.
	The hon. Member's constituency would also have benefited from a part of the local single capital pot allocation to Buckinghamshire county council for 2001–02, which totalled £15.171 million. It is for the county council to decide how best to use these funds and what proportion should be used within the hon. Member's consistency.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Women's Organisations

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the women's organisations that have been consulted over proposed legislation by her Department during (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 sessions; and if their responses have been published.

Malcolm Wicks: This Department and its businesses comply with the guidelines set out in the Code of Practice on Written Consultation, which was published by the Cabinet Office in November 2000.
	In the course of the 2000–01 and 2001–02 sessions, this Department consulted widely on proposed legislation. This consultation included the following women's organisations:
	Women's National Commission
	Townswomen's Guild
	National Federation of Women's Institutes
	Scottish Women's Aid
	Welsh Women's Aid
	Women's Aid Federation of England
	Fawcett Society
	National Board of Catholic Women
	National Council of Great Britain
	The Business and Professional Women UK Ltd.
	WINVISIBLE (Women with Visible and Invisible Disabilities)
	Southwark Muslim Women's Association
	Waltham Forest Asian Mother's Group
	Cardiff Women in Mind
	Union of Women Teachers
	Birmingham Women's Aid
	National Women's Register.
	All of these women's organisations have responded to one or more of the consultation exercises which covered proposed legislation including: the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000; Pension Credit; the Occupational and Personal Pensions: Simplification of the Disability Discrimination Act and "Towards Inclusion"—Government proposals in response to recommendations of the Disability Rights Task Force.

Means-tested Benefits

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the amount of each means-tested benefit which is unclaimed by (a) all age groups and (b) pensioners for each region within Great Britain.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The information requested is not available by region. However, the latest estimates for Great Britain, including separate estimates for pensions where appropriate, of the amounts of unclaimed income-related benefits can be found in "Income Related Benefits—Estimates of Take-Up 1999–2000", a copy of which is available in the Library.

Benefits (Payment Methods)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his policy on drawing benefits weekly in cash at a post office.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. and learned Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier) on 11 June 2002, Official Report, column 878W.

Jobcentre Plus

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether every aspect of ONE is being transferred to Jobcentre Plus and will continue to function; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: The ONE pilots are significantly closer to the Jobcentre Plus model than other Jobcentres and social security offices. However, some changes will be necessary to enable them to deliver the full Jobcentre Plus service.
	The main changes to ONE will be the introduction of new management structures and the movement from operating the ONE Work Focused Interview regulations to the Jobcentre Plus regulations that exclude housing benefit and council tax benefit from the range of benefits covered.
	We are encouraging Jobcentre Plus and local authority managers to build on the framework of liaison and service level agreements that already exist. This will help to ensure that the efficient administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit, which is so important for many of the people using our services, not least in helping the transition to work.

Benefits Data (Electoral Roll)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ensure that computers processing benefit data contain a complete copy of the Electoral Roll; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: The Electoral Roll is a source of information considered by the Department when developing its Information Systems in appropriate circumstances.

Departmental Policies (Wycombe)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the activities pursued by his Department that have had a particular impact on the Wycombe constituency since 7 June 2001.

Nick Brown: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department of Social Security and parts of the Department for Education and Employment. We are currently undertaking a fundamental overhaul of the welfare system, transforming it from a passive organisation paying out benefits to an active system that fights poverty, creates opportunity and helps people become self-sufficient and independent. This is making a significant contribution to the Government's overall objectives of eradicating child poverty in 20 years, and halving it within 10; promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age while protecting the position of those in greatest need and combating poverty and promoting security and independence in retirement for today's and future pensioners.
	Child benefit is now worth £15.74 a week for the eldest child and £10.55 a week for other children; nationally about 7 million families receive child benefit, and in Wycombe 12,220 families benefit.
	The number of people in work is at record levels of 28.4 million. Nearly three quarters of working age people are in employment and in Wycombe the proportion in employment currently stands at 80.5 per cent. Unemployment is around its lowest level since the mid 1970s. Our New Deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, disabled people, the over 50s and partners of the unemployed to move from benefit into work. Nationally well over 600,000 people have been helped into work by the New Deals and in Wycombe over 550 have been helped into work.
	Through Jobcentre Plus we are delivering a single, integrated service to people of working age claiming benefits, with a clear focus on work. In addition to the 56 integrated Jobcentre Plus offices which are already open, we intend to introduce around 225 more integrated offices by April next year including offices in the Wycombe constituency.
	Older people are disproportionately affected by fuel poverty. This winter (2001–02) we have made available a winter fuel payment of £200 for each eligible household to help with their heaviest fuel bill. We estimate that around 17,000 older people in Wycombe have received a payment this winter.
	We want all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement and to share fairly in the rising prosperity of the country. Our first priority has been to help the poorest pensioners.
	From April 2002 we will be spending an extra £6 billion a year in real terms on pensioners as a result of our policies. This includes £2.5 billion more on the poorest third of pensioners.
	2,000 pensioner families in Wycombe are receiving the minimum income guarantee which helps our poorest pensioners. Some 14,700 pensioners in Wycombe will benefit from this year's increases in the basic state pension of £3 a week for single pensioners and £4.80 for couples. Those over 75, of whom we estimate there are about 6,000 in Wycombe, may qualify for free TV licences.
	Other reforms include the new pension credit in 2003 designed to ensure that pensioners benefit from their savings and the introduction of the state second pension from this April. Both of these initiatives will help provide greater security for tomorrow's pensioners. We have also announced that from October 2003 benefits currently reduced after a hospital stay of six weeks will not be reduced until 13 weeks. This will benefit both pensioners and people of working age.

Advertising

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on advertising in 2001–02; which advertising campaigns (a) are running and (b) will begin before the end of the financial year; and what is the estimated final cost of his Department's advertising during 2001–02.

Nick Brown: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001. Since that time a total of some £25 million has been spent on major campaigns either educating people or alerting them to their rights and responsibilities. The following campaigns began before the end of the 2001–02 financial year and have run into 2002–03:
	Pensions Education
	State Second Pension
	Inherited SERPS.
	An accurate estimate of the Department's final marketing spend for 2001–02 is not yet available.

Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the publicity and advertising campaigns run by his Department in each of the last four years, specifying the (a) purpose, (b) cost to public funds, (c) number of staff involved and (d) method of evaluation in each case.

Nick Brown: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001. Since that time the following major campaigns costing over £250,000 have been run:
	New Deal for Disabled People—£850,000
	A national campaign to launch NDDP, covering press advertising in national and regional titles, supported by a helpline, website and publicity material.
	New Deal 50 Plus—£500,000
	A regional campaign to encourage more of the over-50s into work and to increase their awareness of the local help available.
	New Deal 25 Plus—£500,000
	A national campaign to inform the public about changes to the programme through radio advertising, a video and printed materials, supported by research.
	Age Positive—£500,000
	PR (including direct mail and partnerships with regional newspapers, sponsoring an award, exhibitions, research and promotional material) to raise employers' awareness of the business benefits of employing an age-diverse work force.
	Work Incentives—£450,000
	Advertising campaign on local radio to raise awareness of the range of financial initiatives available to those moving from benefits into employment if they meet the qualifying criteria.
	Pension Education—£7,188,000
	A publicity campaign to encourage people to save for their retirement and understand the pension options available to them.
	Second State Pension—£463,000
	Development and implementation of publicity to inform carers about how new state pension rules could help them—linked to the overall pensions education campaign.
	Pensioners' Guide—£729,000
	Production and distribution of a guide on cross-Government help and services for pensioners.
	Winter Fuel Payments—£718,000
	Information for people aged 60 plus and advisers about winter fuel payments and activity reminding them to claim and telling them how to claim for winter 2001 and relevant previous winters.
	Changes to rules on inherited SERPS—£459,000
	Publicity about change to the rules on inheriting the State Earnings-Related Scheme.
	Targeting Fraud—£9,000,000
	A national advertising campaign on television, radio, press and posters to deter dishonest behaviour, reinforced by regional press advertising showing that benefit fraudsters are regularly caught and punished.
	Disability Discrimination Act Awareness—£3,000,000
	A national, regional and trade press advertising campaign to raise the public's awareness of the DDA and specifically to encourage service providers to ensure that disabled people have access to their services.
	Staff number information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Evaluation of all campaigns is routine procedure. Methods of evaluation vary and reflect the objectives of each individual campaign. Programme or product take up and contact data, e.g. telephone calls, e- and white-mail, coupons, website visits are sued to measure shifts in interest and demand. General shifts in awareness, attitude and behaviour are measured through pre- and post- campaign data, as well as tracking research.

Benefit Statistics

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families receive child dependency increases for (a) retirement pension, (b) bereavement benefit, (c) incapacity benefit and (d) invalid care allowance.

Nick Brown: The information is in the table.
	
		Claimants in receipt of child dependency increases
		
			   Numbers in receipt of CDI 
		
		
			 (a) Retirement pension(20),(22) 16,700 
			 (b) Bereavement benefit/widow's benefit(20),(22) 50,600 
			 (c) Incapacity benefit(21),(22) 94,400 
			 Severe disablement allowance(21),(22) 5,800 
			 (d) Invalid care allowance(23) 46,725 
		
	
	(20) RP/BB/WB Source: Pensions Strategy Computer System at 30 September 2001 based on 5 per cent. sample. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 100, and exclude the Channel Islands and overseas cases. Figures for bereavement benefit are for those receiving widowed parent's allowance or widowed mother's allowance (42,000).
	(21) Figures are for IB/SDA recipients at 30 November 2001, and are taken from a 5 per cent. sample of the benefit computer system, which excludes a small number of cases held clerically. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100.
	(22) All 5 per cent. samples are subject to sampling variation.
	(23) Figures from the Invalid Care Allowance Computer System based on a 100 per cent. extract as at 31 December 2001. Figure has been rounded to the nearest five.

New Deal

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will review the administration of the (a) New Deal and (b) Environmental Task Force in Darlington and Doncaster.

Nick Brown: The administration of New Deal, which includes the Environmental Task Force provision in both Darlington and Doncaster, is reviewed at regular intervals as part of the contract review process. Environmental Task Force provision in Doncaster is currently delivered by Doncaster metropolitan borough council. The contract expires in September 2002, having been extended by six months to allow time for competitive tendering for a new three year contract. Environmental Task Force provision in Darlington is currently delivered by YMCA Training Ltd. (Darlington). The contract expires in March 2003.

Benefits Agency

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many letters (a) he and (b) the chief executive of the Benefits Agency have received from hon. Members about clients of each Benefits Agency local office; and how many (i) clients were dealt with and (ii) residents are covered by such local offices in the most recent year for which information is available.

Malcolm Wicks: Ministers received 12,698 letters from hon. Members during 2001 on both Benefits Agency and other matters relating to the Department for Work and Pensions and the former Department of Social Security. The chief executive of the Benefits Agency received 2,529 letters from hon. Members in 2001. The other information sought is not held in the format requested.

Consultation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many consultation documents and consultative drafts of legislation have been issued by his Department since January 2001; and what proportion of these have observed Criterion 5 of the Code of Practice on Written Consultation.

Nick Brown: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department of Social Security and parts of the Department for Education and Employment. Eighteen consultation documents have been issued since June 2001. These relate to matters which have a national impact, and therefore fall under the remit of the Code of Practice on Written Consultation. All bar two of these consultations was able to give a full 12 weeks for interested parties to respond.

Relocation (Scotland)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to relocate executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies under the remit of his Department to Scotland.

Nick Brown: holding answer 10 April 2002
	My right hon. Friend has no plans to relocate executive agencies or non departmental public bodies under the remit of his Department.

Flexible Retirement

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent research he has carried out into flexible retirement.

Ian McCartney: A research report, "Flexible Retirement—a snapshot of large employer's initiatives" has been published today and copies placed in the Library.
	The report was produced on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions by the Employers Forum on Age. It explores early steps taken by a number of large employing organisations to introduce more flexible retirement policies.
	It forms part of the research carried out for the Age Positive campaign. The campaign promotes to employers the benefits of an age-diverse workforce, and encourages the recruitment and retention of older workers and the adoption of flexible working practices. Evidence from the campaign shows that the business benefits of employing older workers include reduced absenteeism, reduced shrinkage, reduced staff turnover and higher productivity.

Winter Fuel Payments

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answers of 12 March 2002, Official Report, column 959W and of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 242W, on winter fuel payments, if he has now concluded his discussions with the European Commission about the extent of the United Kingdom's legal obligations under European regulations on winter fuel payments; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave her on 12 June 2002, column 1286W.

Motability

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the (a) operations and (b) finances of the Motability Scheme.

Maria Eagle: Motability is an independent charitable company incorporated by Royal Charter. It has overall responsibility for all operations of the Motability Scheme. Finance for the vehicle programmes is provided by Motability Finance Ltd. (MFL), an independent service provider to the charity. MFL is owned by a partnership of six of the major clearing banks, Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland (incorporating National Westminster), Barclays, Lloyds TSB, and HSBC, who provide finance for the Motability Scheme at preferential rates.

Departmental Policies (Isle of Wight)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the activities pursued by his Department that have had a particular impact on the Isle of Wight since 7 June 2001.

Nick Brown: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department of Social Security and parts of the Department for Education and Employment. We are currently undertaking a fundamental overhaul of the welfare system, transforming it from a passive organisation paying out benefits to an active system that fights poverty, creates opportunity and helps people become self-sufficient and independent. This is making a significant contribution to the Government's overall objectives of:
	eradicating child poverty in 20 years, and halving it within 10;
	promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age while protecting the positions of those in greatest need; and
	combating poverty and promoting security and independence in retirement for today's and future pensioners.
	Child benefit is now worth £15.75 a week for the eldest child and £10.55 a week for other children; nationally about 7 million families receive child benefit, and in the Isle of Wight 14,550 families benefit.
	The number of people in work is at historically high levels of over 28.2 million, and in the Isle of Wight the proportion of working age people in work currently stands at 70.9 per cent. Unemployment in the Isle of Wight has fallen by 2.5 per cent. over the last year while the number of long-term unemployed, has been cut by over a quarter. Our New Deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployment, the long-term unemployed, disabled people, the over-50s and partners of the unemployed to move from benefit into work. Nationally well over 600,000 people have been helped into work by the New Deals and in the Isle of Wight over 1,900 have been helped into work.
	Older people are disproportionately affected by fuel poverty. This winter (2001–02) we have made available a winter fuel payment of £200 for each eligible household to help with their heaviest fuel bill. We estimate that around 33,000 older people in the Isle of Wight have received a payment this winter.
	We want all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement and to share fairly in the rising prosperity of the country. Our first priority has been to help the poorest pensioners.
	From April 2002 we will be spending an extra £6 billion a year in real terms on pensioners as a result of our policies. This includes £2.5 billion more on the poorest third of pensioners.
	4,600 pensioner families in the Isle of Wight are receiving the minimum income guarantee which helps our poorest pensioners. Some 31,400 pensioners in the Isle of Wight will benefit from this year's increases in the basic state pension of £3 a week for single pensioners and £4.80 for couples. Those over 75, of whom we estimate there are about 14,800 in the Isle of Wight, may quality for free TV licences.
	Other reforms include the new pension credit in 2003 designed to ensure that pensioners benefit from their savings and the introduction of the state second pension from this April. Both of these initiatives will help provide greater security for tomorrow's pensioners. We have also announced that from October 2003 benefits currently reduced after a hospital stay of six weeks will not be reduced until 13 weeks. This will benefit both pensioners and people of working age.

Medical Services Contract

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Coatbridge and Chryston (Mr. Clarke) of 22 May 2002, Official Report, column 374W, on the Medical Services Contract, if he will list (a) each of the key performance targets and the levels of performance against each of those targets, (b) each of the other performance measures and the levels of performance against those measures, (c) each of the further set of quality improvement measures, (d) each of the contractual milestones that have been agreed for each of the key improvement projects, (e) each of the other contractual improvements that have been secured and (f) for each of the last 12 months, the number of occasions on which a financial remedy has been applied to SchlumbergerSema, and the amount on each of those occasions.

Nick Brown: holding answer 10 June 2002
	A copy of the information requested has been placed in the Library.
	Service credits for failure to meet contractual service level targets have been applied in each of the last 12 months. Precise details are commercial in confidence and not disclosed under part 2, paragraph 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Performance Targets

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the performance targets that his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are required to meet, apart from those set out in the public service agreements for 1999 to 2002 and 2001 to 2004; and if he will specify for each target (a) who sets it and (b) who monitors achievement against it.

Nick Brown: The Department's public service agreement is supported by a number of lower level performance targets. These are set out in our service delivery agreement (SDA), the business plans of our agencies and, where appropriate, in the business plans and annual performance agreements of the non-departmental public bodies that are sponsored by the Department.
	The SDA and agency targets are set by the Secretary of State and are rigorously monitored using a process that includes external challenge. The arrangements for monitoring performance against targets are set out in the planning and performance section of the departmental framework.
	The Department sponsors 10 non-departmental public bodies, which perform a number of executive, advisory and tribunal functions at arms-length from the Department. Each of the four executive bodies and one tribunal body has a senior accountable official within the Department who agrees targets and monitors performance against them. The work of the Department's advisory bodies is reported in ad hoc papers or their annual reports.
	A copy of the SDA has been placed in the Library. Copies of the departmental framework, which includes details of the agencies and the non-departmental public bodies, and the other documents are available in the Library.

State Second Pension

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of persons likely to contract out of the state second pension scheme within three years of its inception in April; and how many people are contracted out of SERPS;
	(2)  on what basis estimates of future contracting-out from the second state retirement scheme are prepared; and what the confidence limits are for such estimates.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 6 February 2002
	As a basis for future financial projections, the Government Actuary has assumed that in 2001–02 there were 13.3 million people contracted out of the additional state pension, rising to 13.7 million people in 2004–05. However, many factors can effect the actual level of contracting out and this assumption will be reviewed and updated as necessary as further data become available.
	Projections of national insurance contribution income and benefit expenditure require assumptions of the future level of contracting out from the state second pension. The assumed level of contracting out is estimated by considering data on the level of contracting out through different routes in past years and potential influences on the numbers contracting out in future years, such as the introduction of stakeholder pensions. As with any projections, the assumptions used should not be regarded as precise forecasts of future experience. The potential for change in the projections resulting from variability in the future level of contracting out is considered through sensitivity analysis where appropriate, rather than the use of confidence intervals.
	Source:
	The Government Actuary's Department and "Second Tier Pension Provision 1995–96"—Department for Work and Pensions' Analytical Services Division.

Press Releases

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many press releases were issued by his Department or its predecessor (a) between 1 May and 31 December 1997 and (b) in each year from 1998 to 2001 inclusive.

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many press releases were issued by his Department (a) in each month between May and December 1997 and (b) in each year from 1998 to 2001 inclusive.

Nick Brown: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001. This involved the amalgamation of parts of the Department for Education and Employment (including the Employment Service) with the Department for Social Security.
	It is not possible to disaggregate those press releases issued by DfEE relating solely to employment issues in the period requested. However, the press releases issued by the former DSS and the DWP are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of press releases 
		
		
			 1997(24) 197 
			 1998 311 
			 1999 270 
			 2000 411 
			 2001 260 
		
	
	(24) Between 1 May and 31 December

Pension Service

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what preparations have been made for the switch-over from the Benefits Agency to the Pension Service on 1 April.

Ian McCartney: The Pension Service was formally launched on 1 April 2002 and will comprise pension centres working with a national local service. The pension centres will roll out in a staged approach over the next few years and some have already opened for business with customers' cases moving out of local offices into the pension centres.
	The pension centres will replace the service that we previously offered through local social security offices and our customers will be able to contact the centres by telephone, post or e-mail.
	Our pension centre in Stockton pension centre Burnley will begin to take minimum income guarantee work from local offices in the Middlesbrough area during June 2002.

Pension Service

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will provide the address of each Pension Service call centre; and, where possible, the date on which each call centre is expected to open for business.

Ian McCartney: The Pension Service will operate from a streamlined network of telephony based contact centres. Design and planning work is progressing to deliver the pension centres to rigorous timescales.
	At 10 June eight pension centres have begun to take on pensions work from local offices. These centres are starting to establish operations on contact centre lines as planned. The complete service delivery model will not be achieved until the movement of customer cases is complete. Movement of work is scheduled to the end of September. Plans beyond September are still being developed.
	The addresses of the pension centres and the dates from which the first cases transfer from the local offices into these centres are as listed in the table.
	
		
			  Pension centre site The day the first case moves into the new site(25) 
		
		
			 Burnley pension centre, Blackburn Road, Simonstone, Burnley BB12 7TG 4 February 2002 
			 Dundee pension centre, Claverhouse Industrial Park Estate, East Dundee DD4 9FF 22 April 2002 
			 Bath pension centre, Kingsmead House, James West Street, Bath BA1 2DG 29 April 2002 
			 Wolverhampton pension centre, Temple Street, Wolverhampton WV2 4AU 29 April 2002 
			 Plymouth pension centre, Crownhill Court, Tailyour Road, Crownhill, Plymouth PL6 5UE 6 May 2002 
			 Nottingham pension centre, 57–59 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham NG2 3BZ 6 May 2002 
			 Birmingham pension centre, 2104 Coventry Road, Sheldon, Birmingham B26 3LQ 10 June 2002 
			 Norwich pension centre, Baltic House, Mountergate, Norwich NR1 1QB 10 June 2002 
			 Stockton pension centre, Tees Building, 10–16 Bridge Road, Stockton TS18 3BU 17 June 2002 
			 Glasgow pension centre, Northgate, 96 Milton Street, Glasgow G4 0DX 17 June 2002 
			 Warrington pension centre, Hilden House, 103 Sankey Street, Warrington WA1 1LA 15 July 2002 
			 Blackpool pension centre, Mexford House, Mexford Avenue, Blackpool FY2 0XN 22 July 2002 
			 Swansea pension centre, Waterside Business Park, Swansea SA6 8AH 22 July 2002 
			 Cwmbran pension centre, Glyndwr House, The Mall, Gwent NP44 1XR 5 August 2002 
			 Wrexham pension centre, 15–17 Grosvenor Road, Wrexham, Clwyd LL1 1BL 19 August 2002 
			 Motherwell pension centre, Trigon Building, Airbles Road, Motherwell ML1 3FA 3 August 2002 
			 Dearne Valley pension centre, Unit 2 Callflex Business Park, Dearne Valley, South Yorkshire 12 August 2002 
			 Derby pension centre, Holburn House, Wyvern Business Park, Stanier Way, Chaddesden, Derby DE21 6BF 12 August 2002 
			 Stockport pension centre, Millennium House, Wellington Road South, Stockport 16 September 2002 
			 Leicester pension centre, Yeoman Street, Leicester LE1 1UU 23 September 2002 
			 Seaham pension centre, Lighthouse View, Dawdon Business Park, Seaham, County Durham 30 September 2002 
			 Walsall pension centre, Government Buildings, Lower Hall Lane, Walsall WS1 1RP —(26) 
			 York pension centre, Triune Court Office Development, Plot 4, Monks Cross Office Park, York YO32 9GZ —(26) 
			 Liverpool pension centre, 58 Breckfield Road South, Liverpool L6 5JF —(26) 
			 Tyneview Park pension centre, Whitley Road, Benton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE98 1BA —(26) 
		
	
	(25) Refers to the date the first case actually transfers into the pension centre—this is then followed by a phased transfer of cases into the pension centre.
	(26) To be confirmed.
	In addition to these there will be another pension centre in the Norwich area.
	As customers cases move a letter is sent to them to let them know that a pension centre is now handling their case and is open for business. Customers should continue to deal with their local social security office until they receive a letter.

Pensioner Poverty

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 367W, on pensioner poverty, how many pensioners are living in poverty in the Midlothian constituency.

Ian McCartney: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.
	As at February 2002 there were 1,600 customers in receipt of minimum income guarantee in the parliamentary constituency of Midlothian.
	Around 12,000 winter fuel payments were made last winter to people 60 and over in the parliamentary constituency of Midlothian.
	In addition there were 4,500 people over 75 years old who may have benefited from a free television licence in the parliamentary constituency of Midlothian.
	Source:
	Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, February 2002.
	Matching Intelligence Data Analysis Service Winter Fuels Payment.
	Client Group analysis of the population over state pension age at May 2001.

Pension Entitlement

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2002, Official Report, column 680W, on pension entitlement, how many cases have been referred to the (a) OPRA, (b) PAS and (c) pensions ombudsman since 1997.

Ian McCartney: The Pensions Advisory Service (PAS) and the pensions ombudsman can deal with inquiries or complaints that arise from the situation where a public sector employee has had their accrued pension entitlement withdrawn, but they do not keep records that would enable such cases to be individually identified. The Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority has no power to intervene against any employer that has lawfully withdrawn pension entitlements from employees.

National Insurance

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the cost in the next 12 months of the Budget changes to employers' national insurance contributions to (a) his Department, (b) agencies of his Department and (c) local government carrying out functions within the responsibility of his Department;
	(2)  what his estimate is of the cost in the next 12 months of the Budget changes to employers' national insurance contributions to charities working in areas within the responsibility of his Department.

Nick Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith), on 29 April 2002, Official Report, column 544W.

Fraud

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimated level of losses to fraud and corruption was in (a) his Department's Vote 1 budget and (b) his Department's Vote 2 budget for (i) 1999–2000 and (ii) 2000–01.

Malcolm Wicks: In 1999–2000 the estimated level of loss to internal fraud recorded in the Department's Vote 1 Account was £210,000. Information on the estimated level of loss to external fraud is not available in the format requested.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of ordinary written questions for his Department were answered within a week of tabling in each month since June 2001; and what proportion of questions for named day received a substantive answer on that day in each month since June 2001.

Maria Eagle: Since the House returned in October we have received double the number of the previous session and by the end of this session we anticipate having dealt with significantly more questions than in any of the last five years. This does of course have an impact on our ability to deal with questions speedily. We are confident that in deciding to table questions hon. Members take into account the impact of their requests on the ability of colleagues to secure answers to their inquiries. Many hon. Members secure information from other sources such as publications by the Department which are available in the Library.
	The information requested is in the tables.
	
		Proportion of ordinary written questions answered within five working days
		
			  Number of questions received Per cent. answered within five working days 
		
		
			 2001   
			 June 73 53.42 
			 July 166 66.48 
			 September 7 71.43 
			 October 256 19.53 
			 November 364 15.93 
			 December 201 38.81 
			 2002   
			 January 258 21.32 
			 February 245 13.06 
			 March 274 20.44 
			 April 147 19.73 
			 May 74 50.00 
		
	
	
		Proportion of named day questions given a substantive answer on that day
		
			  Number of questions received Per cent. given a substantive answer on that day 
		
		
			 2001   
			 June 27 96.30 
			 July 103 73.79 
			 September 2 100.00 
			 October 100 81.00 
			 November 189 60.32 
			 December 89 62.92 
			
			 2002   
			 January 154 54.55 
			 February 79 54.43 
			 March 142 35.92 
			 April 78 44.87 
			 May 42 71.43

Parliamentary Questions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the guidance notes prepared for his officials on answering written parliamentary questions, for what reason officials are advised to consider whether the question is friendly; whether considerations of friendliness affect the content of written replies; and if he will revise this guidance.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library the guidance provided to departmental civil servants for the preparation of written answers to parliamentary questions.

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance for officials on answering parliamentary questions, (a) before and (b) after recent amendments.

Andrew Smith: Guidance notes have been produced for many years to assist officials who help prepare answers to parliamentary questions. Until now they have been produced by officials without clearance by Ministers. The reference in the guidance notes to the question being "friendly" is not appropriate and has been deleted. I have also reviewed the guidance and some amendments have been made.
	Copies of the guidance, before and after this change was made, have been placed in the Library.

Correspondence

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many letters were received by each Minister in his Department in each month since June 1997.

Maria Eagle: The Cabinet Office publishes a report to Parliament each year on the volumes of correspondence received by Departments. For information for 2001, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Leslie) on 24 May 2002, Official Report, column 677W. Copies of previous reports are available in the Library.

Press and Public Relations

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much expenditure his Department has incurred in each year since 1997 on employing external consultants to deal with the press and public relations of his Department.

Nick Brown: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001. Since that time there has been no expenditure on external press and PR consultants specifically to raise the profile of the Department, only to assist in the marketing of important Welfare to Work programmes such as New Deal and Age Positive.

Refurbishment Projects

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start within the next six months; and what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure certified timber.

Malcolm Wicks: Within DWP there are over 100 refurbishment projects either in progress or likely to start within the next six months. The vast majority of these are connected with the introduction of Jobcentre plus and involve the refurbishment of offices to meet Jobcentre Plus requirements.
	To ensure that these projects procure only certified timber that is obtained lawfully from sustainable sources we are following guidance issued by DEFRA. We have requested that documentary evidence be supplied to us by contractors to support all statements made concerning the supply of timber. We intend to audit such information to ensure compliance with Government policy.

Departmental Recruitment (Older People)

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of those employed in benefit offices are over 55.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 15 April 2002
	From April 2002, benefits are paid through Jobcentre Plus and the Pensions Service. The percentage of staff aged over 55 in these agencies is 7.32 per cent. and 7.48 per cent. respectively.
	Since the Department's creation last year, staff in DWP, (other than senior civil service) have had the opportunity to continue their employment beyond the age of 60 up to 65.
	The Department's Diversity and Equality policy statement makes an explicit commitment to non- discrimination on age grounds. DWP is keen to make the most of the talents and experience of older staff and offers a range of working arrangements such as flexible working hours, part-time working patterns and other options which may suit their needs.
	We have been looking at ways of further encouraging the recruitment of older workers. At the end of last year the Employment Service worked with colleagues in the Benefits Agency to develop a customised "gateway" to prepare New Deal 50plus customers for jobs in DWP. The initiative proved successful with 20 of the 21 participants subsequently taking up jobs in DWP with the Benefits Agency. The success of the initiative has been widely communicated internally throughout the Department, and promoted to other civil service Departments. Under the new Deal 50plus programme we are able to specifically target people from that age group and give them fixed term contracts with us, and permanent posts subject to them passing a fair and open recruitment competition.
	In July 2002 DWP will be extending its use of the New Deal 50plus programme to support its staff recruitment. Guidance will be issued across DWP to raise the profile of the programme and to encourage managers to use this alternative form of recruitment.

Reviews, Task Forces and Advisory Groups

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer on 17 December 2001 to the hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Mr. Fallon) Official Report, column 151W and to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 22 April 2002, Official Report, column 62W, what (a) reviews, (b) task forces and (c) advisory groups have been established by his Department since May 1997; what their membership is; and what reports they (i) have published and (ii) are preparing to publish.

Nick Brown: The information is given in tables, copies of which are in the Library. They show all reviews, task forces and advisory groups with external members which have been established since May 1997.

Members of Parliament (Personal Data)

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the profile of the hon. Member for Northavon referred to in section 4.3 of his Department's guidance notes on replies to written questions.

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place the dossier of personal details held by his Department relating to the hon. Member for Linlithgow in the Library.

Eric Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information is held by his Department on each hon. Member in relation to (a) personal relationships, both current and past, (b) financial status and dealings, (c) connections with companies and interest groups, (d) connections with Governments and (e) published works; and what was held in January 2002.

Andrew Smith: The Department does not compile personal profiles on MPs.
	We do have access to parliamentary reference works such as Dod's and in order to provide, in a cost-effective way, such reference information to the large number of officials drafting parliamentary answers we subscribe to Parliamentary Monitoring Services Ltd. (PMS).
	Copies of the career profiles from PMS for the hon. Member for Northavon and my hon. Friend the Member for Linlithgow and the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst have been placed in the Library.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Departmental Expenditure Limit

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much and what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit for 2002–03 had been spent by 31 May; what the figures were for 2001–02; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The hon. Gentleman is referred to the answer given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 June 2002, at column 130W.

Departmental Expenditure Limit

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much and what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit for 2002–03 will be accounted for by staff costs; what the figures were for 2001–02; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Information relating to financial year 2002–03 is not available.
	The information requested for the financial year 2001–02 is in The Lord Chancellor's Departments, Departmental Report 2001–02 Cm5408, which was published on 13 June 2002.

Patricia Austin

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the reasons given by Mr. Justice Burgess for awarding exemplary damages to Patricia Austin of Belfast in May.

Rosie Winterton: A civil bill was issued on behalf of Patricia Austin in respect of a claim against the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, for assault and battery. The case came on for hearing, at Belfast County Court, on 30 April 2002 before His Honour Judge Burgess. Judgment was reserved.
	On 14 May 2002 a written judgment was delivered in open court. The judgment included the following statement: "It is also a case where exemplary damages are appropriate, absorbing the role of aggravated damages".
	The plaintiff was awarded a Decree for £8,500.00.
	Nether party to the proceedings has lodged an appeal against the order of the court.
	The reasons for the Judge's decision are set out in that judgment. It would be in appropriate for me to comment further on the Judge's decision.

Departmental Staff

Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff there are in his Department, broken down by ethnicity.

Rosie Winterton: The Department and its agencies (the Court Service and the Public Guardianship Office) employed a total of 12,849 people as at 15 May 2002. The table shows the staff numbers broken down by ethnicity. The data the Department is representing is for the pre-census ethnic classifications. The Department has begun to incorporate the new ethnic background classification this year. All new employees are being surveyed using the new classifications and a re-survey of all staff is planned during the latter part of this year.
	
		Number of employees
		
			  Permanent Casual  Grant total 
		
		
			 White 9,741 134 9,875 
			 Black 615 8 623 
			 Asian 586 10 596 
			 Other 104 6 110 
			 Not given 1,324 321 1,645 
			  
			 Grand total 12,370 479 12,849

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of ordinary written Questions for her Department were answered within a week of tabling in each month since June 2001; and what proportion of questions for named day received a substantive answer on that day in each month since June 2001.

Rosie Winterton: 340 of the 899 ordinary written questions that were tabled to the Lord Chancellor's Department between 1 June 2001 and 24 May 2002 were answered within one week of being tabled, the detailed breakdown of monthly figures are as follows.
	
		
			  Month Ordinary written question answered within a week of being tabled (per cent.) 
		
		
			 June 2001 71.43 
			 July 2001 68.18 
			 October 2001 70.07 
			 November 2001 38.71 
			 December 2001 81.14 
			 January 2002 35.93 
			 February 2002 25.25 
			 March 2002 46.67 
			 April 2002 9.09 
			 May 2002 46.77 
		
	
	Performance in April 2002 was atypical because one hon. Member asked 122 questions which required a great deal of co-ordination. Unfortunately they we all answered two days late.
	In addition the Lord Chancellor's Department answered substantively 226 of 413 Named Day questions on the nominated day, representing 54.72 per cent.

Age Discrimination

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if (a) her Department and (b) its agencies have a policy of not considering applications for employment by persons over a particular age.

Rosie Winterton: The Department and its agencies (the Court Service and Public Guardianship Office) are committed to equality of opportunity, and therefore have recruitment policies that ensure candidates are not discriminated against on grounds of age when being considered for jobs.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Credit Card Fraud

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on trends in credit card fraud over the last 10 years;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to tackle credit card fraud.

John Denham: The Government recognise that plastic card fraud has been a large and rapidly growing problem in the United Kingdom (UK) since the mid-1990s, with losses having increased from £165 million in 1992 to £411.4 million 1 in 2001. The steep rise has been caused by high levels of organised card crime alongside increases in the number and usage of payment cards.
	Significant work is under way to combat plastic card crime. The Home Office has held discussions with the finance and retail sectors and the police to establish and promote best practice in protecting cards. A major initiative which has emerged is the planned introduction of microchips into payment cards to help authentication. This is to be combined with the introduction of PIN codes in place of signatures. The banking industry foresees that by 2005 the technology will have eliminated up to 80 per cent. of plastic card fraud in the UK.
	The Government are pleased that the banks and retailers are committed to introducing new technology that is so vital in fighting plastic card fraud. The UK has been leading the world in creating a global standard for chip and design that guarantees very high levels of security whenever consumers use their cards. It is vital that we use this technology to combat fraudsters who find it all too easy to forge genuine cardholders' signatures.
	The Home Office is also supporting a two-year pilot of a unique policing unit, the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit. The unit, based in London, is working closely with the banking industry to reduce organised card and cheque fraud across England and Wales. It is estimated that savings of up to £16 million per year may be achieved in each year of operation.
	Source:
	1 APACS Fraud in Focus 2002.

Cycling

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking to deter adults from cycling on pavements in residential areas; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: Cycling inconsiderately or irresponsibly on the pavement is an offence under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835.
	Enforcement of the legislation is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. They are best placed to assess the nature and cause of specific local problems, to determine how most effectively to address them and to decide the best allocation of resources between different priorities. Short intensive enforcement campaigns are occasionally conducted to deal with persistent cycling offenders.
	To help the police deal with cyclists who use the pavement inconsiderately or irresponsibly, we are taking powers in the Police Reform Bill to enable Community Safety Officers (CSOs) to issue fixed penalty notices for this offence.
	We recognise that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, cycle on pavements because they are afraid to cycle on the road. The cycling infrastructure and environment are currently being improved as part of our National Cycling Strategy, and the improvements will help reduce the incentive to cycle on the pavement.

Crime and Disorder Partnerships

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that local partners in crime and disorder partnerships must be consulted by the chief constables on significant changes in policing practice; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: Under Section 96 of the Police Act 1996, police authorities, in consultation with their chief officers, are already required to obtain the views of the people in their area on its policing and their co-operation in crime prevention.
	As one of the responsible authorities under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, charged with drawing up and delivering a local crime and disorder reduction strategy, I would expect the police, as a matter of good practice, to discuss with their local partners any significant changes in policing which might affect how the partnership delivers its crime and disorder reduction strategy.

Asylum Seekers

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were granted leave (a) to enter and (b) to remain as refugees during March following a successful asylum appeal; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is not available and could be obtained only by examination of individual case records thereby incurring a disproportionate cost.

Asylum Seekers

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of persons granted leave (a) to enter and (b) to remain as refugees during March following a successful asylum appeal had had their asylum appeals disposed of as defined in section 94(4) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 within (i) 28 days, (ii) two months, (iii) three months and (iv) more than three months prior to the issue of papers granting leave to enter or remain; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is not available and could be obtained only by examination of individual case records thereby incurring a disproportionate cost.

Asylum Seekers

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of asylum seekers entered the United Kingdom lawfully in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 13 June 2002
	I regret that information on the entry routes of asylum seekers, and whether they entered the United Kingdom lawfully, is not available. In 2001, 64 per cent. of applications for asylum were made in-country and 36 per cent. were made at port.
	The 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees recognised that people trying to escape persecution often relied upon the use of false documents and unusual means of travel. Article 31 of the convention provides that refugees should not have any penalties imposed upon them as a consequence of entering the country of refuge illegally in order to seek sanctuary, provided that they travel to that country directly from their own country, present themselves to the domestic authorities without delay and show good cause for their illegal entry or presence.
	Information on asylum applications is published quarterly. The next publication will be available from 30 August 2002 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http:// www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Seekers

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum were made at UK (a) airports and (b) ports in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 13 June 2002
	The information requested for the periods April 2000—March 2001 and April 2001—December 2001 is shown in the table. I regret that this information is unavailable for previous years, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		At port asylum applications(27),(28)
		
			 Period Airport SeaPort Rail Total 
		
		
			 April 2000-March 2001 10,850 5,455 5,335 21,640 
			 April 2001-December 2001 9,635 1,740 5,790 17,165 
		
	
	(27) Figures rounded to the nearest five
	(28) Principal applicants only
	This information was taken from manual counts of asylum applications taken at port, which do not reconcile with the quarterly asylum statistics published on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ immigration1.html.

Asylum Accommodation Centres

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the offers he has received within the last two months of potential sites for asylum accommodation centres.

Beverley Hughes: Site searching for Accommodation Centres has continued since we made our initial announcement about the shortlist, as we said it would. In addition to the sites we have identified ourselves, a number have been put forward by potential bidders. We will not be putting into the public domain details of such sites unless and until they are considered to be a serious prospect for the siting of the Accommodation Centre.

Nottinghamshire Constabulary

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last visited the City of Nottingham Division of the Nottinghamshire Constabulary; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) regularly visits police forces. His most recent visit to Nottinghamshire police was on Thursday 18 April 2002 and it included time at the central police station in Nottingham.

Cemeteries

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when the research on burial space and the state of cemeteries will be published; and what follow-up action will be taken;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the work of the Burial and Cemeteries Advisory Group; who is on it; what its terms of reference are; how many times it has met; when it will next meet; what it has discussed; what it has done; and when it will have completed its work;
	(3)  when the Government will publish the public consultation on burial legislation.

Hilary Benn: Details of the membership of the Burial and Cemeteries Advisory Group are listed. The Group has met three times, and has the following terms of reference:
	To provide good practice advice on the provision, management, and maintenance of burial grounds; and
	To produce advice on good burial practice and procedures, and to make recommendations for any appropriate policy and legislative change.
	The agreed minutes of the Group's meetings will be published, and I will arrange for copies to be sent to the hon. Member. Consultation on burial legislation and related matters depends on approval of a draft document to be considered at the next meeting at the end of September. The Group is committed to reporting progress to Ministers by December 2002.
	The research work was completed earlier this year. The report will be published shortly following peer review, and its findings will be used to inform further work. In addition, planning for the survey of burial grounds is well advanced, with a pilot exercise expected later this summer.
	Burial and Cemeteries Advisory Group Membership
	Association of Burial Authorities
	Association of Private Crematoria and Cemeteries
	Board of Deputies of British Jews
	Cemetery Research Group, University of York
	Churches Funerals Group
	Commonwealth War Graves Commission
	Confederation of Burial Authorities
	Council for the Care of Churches
	Cremation Society of Great Britain
	Cruse Bereavement Care
	Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	English Heritage
	English Nature
	Federation of British Cremation Authorities
	Health and Safety Executive
	Home Office
	Institute of Burial and Cremation Administration
	Local Government Association
	Muslim Council of Great Britain
	National Assembly for Wales
	National Association of Local Councils
	National Association of Memorial Masons
	National Federation of Cemetery Friends
	Society of Local Council Clerks
	Welsh Local Government Association.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have made complaints about IND since 1 January.

Beverley Hughes: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) hold a central record of written complaints about staff conduct and since 1 January 2002 have received a total of 180 formal complaints concerning individual members of staff. The Directorate does not currently keep records of complaints made about operational matters. However, IND is in the process of setting up a single point of contact for all written and e-mailed complaints as part of a drive to improve the accessibility of information to customers generally. This will enable complaints to be accurately recorded, monitored closely and improvements made to the level of service provided, as a result.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2002, Official Report, column 604W, on appeals, how many cases were sent from IND to the Immigration Appellate Authority in 2001.

Beverley Hughes: Data from the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) show that the IAA received 58,285 immigration and asylum appeals from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in 2001. The majority (47,905) was asylum appeals.

Haslar Detention Centre

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detainees have been allocated to Haslar Detention Centre in the last year; how many have been granted political asylum; how many have been given exceptional leave to remain; and how many have been deported.

Beverley Hughes: The latest available information on the number of persons detained under Immigration Act powers relates to 30 March 2002. As at that date, 135 persons (to the nearest five) were being detained at Haslar Immigration Removal Centre.
	I regret that statistics showing the total number of detainees allocated to Haslar Immigration Removal Centre in the last year, and the requested information on the outcome of their cases could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.
	Information on Immigration Act detainees as at 29 June 2002 will be published on 30 August 2002 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ immigration1.html.

Age Discrimination

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each NDPB or agency sponsored by his Department, whether they have a policy of not considering applications for employment by persons over a particular age, and that age.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 10 June 2002
	It is for individual non-departmental public bodies (NDPB's) to determine their own policies about age-limits of those they employ, in accordance with existing equal opportunities legislation and good practice guidelines, but no Home Office NDPB operates a restrictive policy on considering applicants for employment below retirement age.
	Agencies are bound by the provisions of the Civil Service Management Code, section 2.1, which states
	"Civil Service equal opportunities policy provides that all eligible people must have equality of opportunity for employment and advancement on the basis of age, disability, gender, martial status, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, or (in Northern Ireland) community background".

Correspondence

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the several letters from the hon. Member for Woking on DANGA, born 9 November 1973, ref. D1009062 and B554916.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 10 June 2002
	I wrote to the hon. Member on 10 June 2002.

Criminal Justice System

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the inter-departmental steering group working on the review of statistics on administration of criminal justice is expected to report; what the group's membership is; and what the members' sponsoring authorities are.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 12 June 2002
	The report from the review of statistics on the administration of criminal justice in England and Wales is due to be published as a consultation document on the National Statistics website shortly.
	The review is being conducted by Denis Allnutt, and is steered by a trilateral project board chaired by Andy Maultby (Lord Chancellor's Department). The project board includes officials from the Home Office (Research, Development and Statistics Directorate, Criminal Justice Joint Planning Unit, and Criminal Justice Information Technology Directorate), the Crown Prosecution Service, the Court Service, and an independent member—Professor Ken Pease (Huddersfield University).
	The funding authority for the review is the Home Office.

Counter-terrorism

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the allocation to West Mercia constabulary for police activity on counter-terrorism measures of the extra funding announced on 10 June.

John Denham: Forces in the West Midlands, including West Mercia police, received funding allocations based on careful assessments of their current requirements and commitments to provide an enhanced counter-terrorist capability. The overall level of funding allocated to police forces in the West Midlands region for counter terrorism purposes has been made public but to break this down further in public announcements could compromise security.

Fylingdales

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of the funds he is allocating to police forces in Yorkshire for counter-terrorism measures will be given to North Yorkshire police in respect of the policing of Fylingdales.

John Denham: Forces in Yorkshire, including North Yorkshire police, have received additional funding based on detailed assessments of their current requirements to provide an enhanced counter-terrorist capability. The overall level of funding allocated to police forces in Yorkshire for counter-terrorism purposes has been made public but to give specific information about resources for the policing of specific sites such as the Fylingdales could potentially compromise security.

Juvenile Crime

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of juvenile crime was linked to the use of (a) alcohol and (b) drugs in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Ainsworth: Information about the proportion of juvenile crime linked to alcohol or drugs misuse in each of the last 10 years is not available.
	We are, of course, aware that both alcohol and drugs misuse can be a significant factor in juvenile offending. Studies, such as the MORI Youth Survey published by the Youth Justice Board, provide a useful picture of the association between frequent drinking, drugs misuse and offending behaviour among young people. The 2002 MORI Youth Survey, published in May, while showing that a large proportion of young people have tried alcohol, shows clearly that those who admit to committing a criminal offence are likely to drink more regularly than those who do not. The survey similarly shows that young people who have committed a criminal offence within the previous 12 months are significantly more likely to have taken illegal drugs than those who have not offended.

Street Crime Action Team

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police forces and (b) basic command units have been asked to supply information to the Street Crime Action Team; on what topics and with what frequency.

John Denham: holding answer 13 June 2002
	The Government are committed to reducing street crime.
	In April 2002 the Government launched the 10 Force Robbery Reduction Initiative across the 10 police force areas with the highest levels of recorded robbery and snatch theft.
	The 10 forces are: the Metropolitan police, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Avon and Somerset, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Thames Valley, and Lancashire. 133 basic command units (BCU) fall within these force areas. 82 per cent. of all street crime was recorded in those areas in the 12 months to March 2001.
	As part of the initiative the Home Office Street Crime Action Team is in regular contact with the 10 forces on the full range of topics affecting reaching the goal of a sustainable reduction in street crime.

Police Standards Unit

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the Standards Unit for the police was established; how much has been spent on the unit; how much he expects to have been spent within the first 12 months; and what the anticipated annual running costs thereafter will be.

John Denham: holding answer 13 June 2002
	The first members of the Police Standards Unit started in post on 9 July 2001. To date £709,000 has been spent on the unit. It is anticipated that the cost of running the unit in the first 12 months will be around £789,000. The expenditure for 2002–03 has been forecast to be in the region of £3.1 million for running costs. Running costs for the unit thereafter have been forecast at £3.6 million per annum.

Immigration

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants have entered the United Kingdom and sought citizenship in each year since 1992.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 13 June 2002
	The available information relates to the total number of people who have applied for British citizenship each year.
	The table shows the total number of applications for British citizenship received for the period of January 1992 to December 2000 inclusive. This includes a handful of applications made outside the United Kingdom.
	I regret that it is not possible to identify the year in which these people entered the United Kingdom as immigrants, but in order to qualify for British citizenship almost all applicants will have been residing in the United Kingdom for at least three years, and in many cases longer.
	Information on citizenship is published annually in the statistical bulletin "Persons Granted British Citizenship", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library and from the RDS website: http:// www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds
	
		Applications for British citizenship received in the United Kingdom, 1992–2000 -- Number of persons
		
			  Applications received(29) 
		
		
			 1992 38,070 
			 1993 42,680 
			 1994 48,275 
			 1995 53,390 
			 1996 61,800 
			 1997 66–000 
			 1998 68,030 
			 1999 67,400 
			 2000 (30)62,475 
		
	
	(29) Includes a handful of applications made outside the United Kingdom
	(30) Revised

Firearms

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many firearms, by category, were held by each police force in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many firearms have been ordered by each police force over the last 12 months.

John Denham: I am advised by the Association of Chief Police Officers that this information is not held centrally. It could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

People Trafficking (Sexual Exploitation)

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy that persons who have entered the United Kingdom and are found to be victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation are automatically granted exceptional leave to remain.

Beverley Hughes: It is not our policy to grant routinely exceptional leave to remain to victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. Each case is considered in the light of its own individual circumstances, including any compassionate factors which may be put forward. The fact that someone has been brought here against their will might be one such factor, but we will take into account all other relevant issues, including the age, health and length of stay of the applicant.
	The White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven" outlined proposals for supporting victims of exploitation. Where such people are willing to assist the authorities in bringing traffickers to justice, special arrangements may be made for their protection. The Government intends to develop "best practice" to distinguish victims in genuine need and to provide them with appropriate help and support, whether they are allowed to remain here or are returned to their own countries.
	The Government is committed to tackling people trafficking and exploitation. The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill (Clause 118) proposes a new 14 year penalty for a person convicted of facilitating the entry of an individual for the purposes of prostitution.

Pirated Entertainment

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been commenced against (a) sellers, (b) distributors and (c) producers of pirated (i) video cassettes, (ii) CDs and (iii) DVDs in each of the last five years; and how many have been successful.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is not available centrally.

Channel Tunnel

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken at the UK end to reduce the use by illegal immigrants of the channel tunnel to enter the UK.

Beverley Hughes: The Immigration Service deploys a range of new detection technology to combat clandestine entry through the channel tunnel and other routes. Carbon dioxide and heartbeat detectors are in operation in Dover and Coquelles and two x-ray scanners deployed there by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise for the purpose of detecting contraband have regularly found clandestine entrants during their searches. These two scanners are shortly to be supplemented by two gamma ray detectors purchased by the Immigration Service and all four scanners will be manned by joint Customs/Immigration Service teams.
	In addition, the Immigration Service is about to begin the next phase of its procurement programme and is looking to deploy additional detection devices in the United Kingdom and some continental ports. Searches are already conducted in some of those ports by ferry and port operators and the Immigration service is currently considering how best to assist them in their efforts, possibly by lending additional detection equipment.
	The recent resurgence of clandestine entry via the SNCF rail freight site at Frethun requires additional security measures to be taken to secure the site. Following discussions, SNCF have undertaken to introduce measures to improve security as a matter of urgency.
	In the forthcoming Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill the Government are seeking to amend the Civil Penalty provisions of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to bring about a more flexible, but enforceable penalty regime. The object of the Civil Penalty is to persuade those responsible for vehicles and other transport to secure and check them properly to prevent the carriage of clandestine entrants. The Civil Penalty provisions apply equally to rail freight and freight shuttle wagons operating through the tunnel and since its introduction in clandestine entry on the Eurotunnel freight shuttle service has reduced dramatically.

Departmental Functions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the functions of his Department that have been (a) market tested and (b) outsourced in each of the last five years, specifying the (i) money saving and (ii) percentage saving in each case.

Beverley Hughes: The available information on Home Office functions that have been market tested and outsourced in each of the last five years specifying the money and percentage saving in each case is as follows:
	
		
			 Function Year Monetary saving (£) Percentage saving 
		
		
			 Prison management 2000–01 4.5 million 18 
			 Prison shop 2000–01 1 million 27 
			 Security guarding services 1997 (31)380,000 (31)8.8 
		
	
	(31) Figures at net present value (NPV) over three years.
	Note:
	The calculation of net present value is intended to express all future cash flows associated with a procurement in their present day values.
	I am sure the savings for the taxpayer occurred by this will be welcomed by the hon. Member.

Street Robbery (London)

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the figures for street robberies in London for the most recent year for which figures are available and the five preceding years showing separately how many such robberies in each year were of mobile phones.

John Denham: holding answer 25 March 2002
	Details of robbery of personal property have been collected centrally at the police force area level since 1 April 1998. Details of robbery of mobile phones are not routinely collected centrally.
	
		Offences of robbery of personal property for the Metropolitan police area
		
			 Year ending March Number of offences 
		
		
			 1998–99 23,062 
			 1999–2000 32,068 
			 2000–01(32) 37,023 
		
	
	(32) A boundary change on 1 April 2000 meant figures are not directly comparable with previous years.
	The street crime initiative represents a step-change in cross-Government action to tackle street crime with a focused programme of action in the 10 police force areas where the problem is most acute.
	Work that was already under way to support police in the 10 worst areas was brought forward to begin in April. This is supported by a cross-Government action group that works across the criminal justice system and the whole of Government in a concerted effort to tackle any obstacles to cutting street crime.The purpose of the group is to identify and support the implementation of actions which all the various agencies can take to tackling the problem of street crime, working together to bring about both an immediate and a sustainable long-term reduction.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts the Home Office has with consultants; what level of professional indemnity insurance is standard in contracts with small consultants; whether he can make exceptions to the level of professional indemnity insurance; and what recent discussions he has had with other Government Departments about the level of professional indemnity insurance.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 18 April 2002
	The Home Office currently have in use 88 consultancy contacts.
	The level of professional indemnity insurance set is commensurate with the level of risk and type and value of contract.
	As with previous Administrations it is not Government practice to provide details of meetings with other Government Departments.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the internal structure of the HMIC with specific reference to the research, quality and analysis activity.

John Denham: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) is led by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Keith Povey. The 43 forces in England and Wales are inspected by four Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs), based in regional offices covering the North, London and East, Wales and Central and South regions.
	Of 128 staff, 61 are members of the regional teams. 38 of those are seconded police officers, the remainder being civil servants for seconded civilian support staff.
	HMIC is funded directly by central Government and expenditure is controlled by the central unit at Queen Anne's Gate.
	Regional HMIs direct the inspections in their areas following an annual risk assessment of all forces to determine how best use can be made of HMIC resources to help improve police effectiveness. All inspections are based on national standards-based protocols to ensure consistency.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in relation to criminal injuries compensation scheme applications on behalf of infants who have sustained catastrophic brain damage as a result of having been shaken by a third party in the last three years, how many applications are outstanding; of these how many have (a) outstanding decisions on liability and (b) decisions accepting liability in principle; what is (i) the longest delay and (ii) the average delay since the application was lodged; of payments made in each of the last three years, what was (A) the average value, (B) the lowest value and (C) the highest value; how many of those decisions which accept liability in principle are awaiting care reports from the applicants' advisers; what the average cost of a care report is; what contribution towards the cost of a care report is offered by the CICS; in cases where a decision has been made accepting liability in principle where a care report has been supplied (1) how many have resulted in additional care questions for the applicants' advisers, (2) what the average cost of the care report was and (3) what contribution was made towards the cost of the care report; what his policy is towards the requesting of additional expert evidence at the expense of the applicants; whether it may be accepted that a case clearly exceeds the maximum award without the need for a care report; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: With respect to questions (a) and (b), (i) and (ii), and A, B and C, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) advises that it does not have a classification on its casework database corresponding to these specific types of case. To answer those questions accurately would accordingly require the individual examination of every case where the victim was a young child at the time of injury. That could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	It can take a considerable time to complete the assessment of compensation payable in individual cases that involve severe or complex injuries. However, once eligibility has been established in principle, CICA may make interim awards, for example in respect of the care needs of a severely injured child.
	CICA obtains and meets the cost of all the reports it considers necessary to inform a fair and accurate assessment of an application. No applicant is required to provide reports. However, some do provide reports in support of their view of the award that they should receive. Where the Authority considers reports or other information submitted by an applicant to be inaccurate, inadequate, or out of date, it may propose that supplementary information be provided at the applicant's expense.
	Generally, CICA does not reimburse the cost of care or other reports, commissioned by applicants or their representatives. However, CICA will make interim awards of compensation so that an applicant has the funds to pay for any specialist report that he or she may wish to obtain. The Authority is not routinely told the cost of care reports commissioned by third parties. And the records held by CICA of the cost of reports that it has paid for do not differentiate between care reports and others. Consequently CICA has no centrally held data from which to derive the average cost of a care report.
	Where it appears that the combination of the tariff award and the assessment of special expenses is highly likely to exceed the Scheme limit of £500,000 per case, CICA will usually concentrate on the main heads of claim to shorten the process involved in reaching the determination. However, where the victim is a severely injured young child the process of assessment may be complicated by considerations such as life expectancy and difficulty in reaching a firm long-term prognosis.
	In such cases the local authority's assessment of care needs and details of what it will provide free of charge are an essential part of the corresponding assessment of costs under the Tariff Scheme. This is because local authorities tend to provide services to children without charge, and paragraph 35(d) of the Scheme specifies that the reasonable costs of care services may be provided for in an award of compensation only where they are not available free of charge from the national health service, local authorities or any other agency.

Police Numbers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there have been in the (a) Avon and Somerset force and (b) the East Somerset force in each reporting period since 1980–81; and how many are planned for each reporting period to 2004–05.

John Denham: holding answer 21 May 2002
	Information on police numbers for Avon and Somerset constabulary is set out at Table A. Details of strength for the East Somerset Division have been provided by the Chief Constable (Mr. S C Pilkington QPM) and are set out in Table B.
	Mr. Pilkington has informed me that figures for the East Somerset division prior to 1996 have been archived and are not readily available.
	He has further informed me that the planned strength for 2002–03 is 3,187 for the whole force, but that there is no separate figure for East Somerset. There are no predicted figures for years beyond 2003.
	Police force performance does not depend solely upon the number of officers available. The proposals in the White Paper "Policing a New Century: A blueprint for Reform" set out a radical and ambitious programme of reform, with the overall aim of reducing crime and the fear of crime and to tackle anti-social behaviour. The test of success will be whether the measures being put in place will make a real difference to the quality of life of individuals and communities up and down the country.
	
		Table A -- Avon and Somerset—Police strength 1980–81 to 2000–02
		
			 As at 31 March Police numbers 
		
		
			 1981 2,953 
			 1982 3,011 
			 1983 2,970 
			 1984 2,997 
			 1985 2,982 
			 1986 2,958 
			 1987 3,009 
			 1988 3,013 
			 1989 3,014 
			 1990 3,094 
			 1991 3,092 
			 1992 3,081 
			 1993 3,068 
			 1994 3,033 
			 1995 3,000 
			 1996 2,981 
			 1997 2,989 
			 1998 2,976 
			 1999 2,999 
			 2000 2,934 
			 2001 2,960 
			 2001 (30 September) 3,040 
		
	
	
		Table B -- East Somerset division—police strength 1996–97 to 1999–2000
		
			 As at 31 March Police numbers 
		
		
			 1997 231 
			 1998 243 
			 1999 241 
			 2000 235 
			 2001 240 
			 2001 (30 September) 249

Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the mandate of the Committee on the system for comparison of fingerprints for the effective application of the Dublin Convention (Eurodac) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The Committee established by Article 23 of the EURODAC Regulation assists the Commission in accordance with Articles 5 and 7 of the Council Decision laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (199/468/EC).
	Article 22 of the EURODAC Regulation specifies that the EURODAC Central Unit may be charged with carrying out statistical tasks on the basis of data processed at the Central Unit, other than those already specified in Article 3(3) of the Regulation. In these circumstances the additional statistical measures are to be adopted in accordance with the procedure of the Committee. All the important implementing powers were reserved to the Council, such as agreement on the EURODAC Implementing Rules, which were adopted by Council on 28 February 2002.
	The EURODAC system is not yet operational. There are no immediate plans for the Committee to meet, but if it does the United Kingdom will be represented by a Home Office official and an official from the United Kingdom Permanent Representation in Brussels. The work of the Committee is funded by the European Community budget and travel costs to attend Committee meetings are met by the European Commission. The Home Office pays a subsistence allowance to cover attendance at a Committee meeting.
	The Commission is required to prepare annual reports on the implementation work of the Committee, which are submitted to the Council and European Parliament. The reports are also published on the EUROPA internet website. I do not see a need for further measures to increase the Committee's accountability and transparency.

Data Protection

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that police force computers contain a complete copy of the electoral roll on their local force computers; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR's) Electoral Legislation and Administration Branch, Democracy and Local Leadership Division have published, for consultation, draft Regulations under section 9 of the Representation of the People Act 2000 in relation to access to, and supply and sale of, electoral registers held and maintained by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs).
	Under these regulations the police forces in Great Britain and Northern Ireland (including the National Criminal Intelligence Service, the National Crime Squad and the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO)) will be able to request, free of charge, copies of the full electoral roll. The information contained may be used for the purpose of the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the criminal law.

Data Protection

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether individuals who consent to the police taking their (a) fingerprints and (b) DNA samples are informed that if consent is withdrawn then the fingerprints or samples might not be destroyed; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The police have the power to take fingerprints and non-intimate DNA samples, with or without consent, from people in police custody who are charged with, informed they will be reported for, or convicted of a recordable offence. In these cases individuals are informed as part of the custody process that their DNA and fingerprints will be subject to speculative database searches and may be retained indefinitely.
	DNA samples given voluntarily for the purposes of elimination are only retained if the volunteer has given written consent. In such cases, the volunteer signs a statement giving their consent. The statement also informs them that consent cannot later be withdrawn. Fingerprints taken for elimination purposes may also be retained if the volunteer has given written consent. Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (as amended) retained fingerprints and DNA samples can only be used for the purposes related to the prevention or detection of crime, the investigation of an offence or the conduct of a prosecution.

Data Protection

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) vehicle, (b) criminal record and (c) combined vehicle/criminal checks were undertaken on the Police National Computer in the last year; and how many checks in other categories were undertaken.

John Denham: From April 2001 to March 2002 a total of 26,546,892 vehicle inquiries were undertaken on the Police National Computer (PNC). A further 136,966 Vehicle Online Descriptive Searches (VODS) were also made. VODS are searches based on partial information.
	Over the same period, 32,337,776 inquiries on names were made, with a further 67,631 inquiries on names descriptive searches using QUEST, a PNC application that identifies criminal records from partial descriptive details.
	The PNC database does not have the facility to carry out combined vehicle/criminal record checks.
	Checks in other categories include stolen property inquiries (99,256 checks) and property descriptive searches (2,572 checks).

CCTV, Arthurs Hill

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when funding approval was given for a CCTV scheme in Arthurs Hill, Newcastle; and how much funding has been drawn down for it.

John Denham: We announced funding approval for a project in the Arthurs Hill area of Newcastle under the second round of the Reducing Burglary Initiative in May 2000. The project, between the Northumbria police and Newcastle city council, received a grant of £137,000 to cover the costs of a range of interventions, including Close Circuit Television (CCTV) schemes and other target hardening measures. Out of the grant, a total of £133,493 has been claimed. The project has been highly successful, having achieved a 20 per cent. reduction in burglaries in the Arthurs Hill area and a 50 per cent. reduction in Richardson Road.

Street Crime

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidences of street crime were reported (a) to the police in Lancashire and (b) in each police authority area in Wales in each year since 1997.

John Denham: Recorded offences of robbery between April 1997 to March 2001 for Lancashire and each police authority area in Wales are set out in the table.
	
		Recorded offences of robbery 1997 to 2001 (April to March)
		
			Financial year April to March  
			 Police force 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Lancashire 887 982 1,058 1,224 
			  
			 Dyfed Powys 33 42 28 23 
			 Gwent 160 173 216 244 
			 North Wales 118 127 146 163 
			 South Wales 475 511 519 460 
		
	
	Note:
	New Home Office counting rules were introduced in April 1998. This change to recording practices is estimated to have added an additional one per cent. to the level of recorded robbery in England and Wales.
	The Home Office routinely publishes statistics on recorded crime on a yearly basis including the offence of robbery (both against the person and against commercial premises). The latest publicly available recorded crime statistics cover the period April 2000 to March 2001.

Police Officers (Devon and Cornwall)

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of officers who were employed by the North Devon and Cornwall police force five years ago are Devon and Cornwall police officers this year; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: North Devon and Cornwall are constituent parts of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary. I am told by the force that the precise information requested is not available, but 69 per cent. of officers in Cornwall and 60 per cent. of officers in North Devon were serving officers with Devon and Cornwall Constabulary five years ago. I am also told that, in the force as a whole, 73 per cent. of officers have more than five years service.

Police Officers (Devon and Cornwall)

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have left the Devon and Cornwall police force in each of the past 10 years; and of those who have left, how many (a) retired, (b) left for medical/health reasons, (c) had their employment terminated and (d) left for other reasons; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary collects information annually about wastage from the police service. Figures for Devon and Cornwall for nine years from 1992 to 2000–01 are set out in the table. Reliable figures are not available for years earlier than 1992.
	
		
			  Ordinary retirements Medical retirements Dismissed/ required to resign Other reasons(33) Total wastage 
		
		
			 1992(34) 56 40 4 14 114 
			 1993(34) 64 49 4 10 127 
			 1994–95 69 25 7 11 112 
			 1995–96 98 27 0 9 134 
			 1996–97 93 21 5 14 133 
			 1997–98 88 22 9 14 133 
			 1998–99 76 20 2 21 119 
			 1999–2000 92 20 1 29 142 
			 2000–01 94 15 4 25 137 
		
	
	(33) Other reasons includes deaths in service, transfers to other forces and voluntary resignations.
	(34) 1992 and 1993 figures are for calendar years. Others figures are for financial years.

Special Constables

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of voluntary constables was in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The numbers of special constables in England and Wales from 1991 to 2001 are given in the table. From 1990 to 1995, statistics on the strength of the special constabulary in England and Wales were collected by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. These were compiled at the end of the calendar year until 1993, and then for the financial year 1994–95. Since 1995, these statistics have been collected by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate. They are compiled at the end of March and September each year.
	
		
			   Number of special constables 
		
		
			 December 1991 17,543 
			 December 1992 19,035 
			 December 1993 20,573 
			 March 1995 20,026 
			 September 1995 19,655 
			 September 1996 19,451 
			 September 1997 19,163 
			 September 1998 17,296 
			 September 1999 15,727 
			 September 2000 13,487 
			 September 2001 12,068 
		
	
	Sources:
	Figures to March 1995 supplied by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), figures from September 1995 supplied by Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate.
	The Government are committed to reversing this decline in numbers. As we outlined in the White Paper, the current police reform process is an opportunity to achieve a stronger, increasingly professional special constabulary. Measures to achieve this include: a new headline role focusing on intelligence led patrolling and crime reduction initiatives; a new national foundation training package for special constables; joint Home Office/ Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) good practice guidance covering recruitment, management and deployment of specials; new conditions of service and conduct regulations.
	In January 2002 we ran a press campaign targeting specials as part of the national recruitment campaign for the regular police service. As my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary recently announced at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), we will also be working with employers to encourage them to support employees who are specials—in particular by giving them extra paid leave to carry out their police duties.

Special Constables

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables were actively working in Devon and Cornwall in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The numbers of special constables in Devon and Cornwall since 1992 are given in the table. From 1990 to 1995, statistics on the strength of the special constabulary in England and Wales were collected by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. These were compiled at the end of the calendar year until 1993, and then for the financial year 1994–95. Since 1995, these statistics have been collected by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate. They are compiled at the end of March and September each year.
	
		
			   Number of special constables 
		
		
			 December 1992 946 
			 December 1993 1,067 
			 March 1995 1,142 
			 September 1995 1,079 
			 September 1996 1,133 
			 September 1997 1,079 
			 September 1998 916 
			 September 1999 908 
			 September 2000 836 
			 September 2001 780 
		
	
	Notes:
	Figures to March 1995 supplied by HMIC.
	Figures from September 1995 supplied by Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate
	The Government is committed to reversing the decline in the number of special constables. As we outlined in the White Paper, the current police reform process is an opportunity to achieve a stronger, increasingly professional special constabulary. Measures to achieve this include: a new headline role focusing on intelligence led patrolling and crime reduction initiatives; a new national foundation training package for special constables; joint Home Office/Association of Chief Police Officers good practice guidance covering recruitment, management and deployment of specials; new conditions of service and conduct regulations.
	In January we ran a press campaign targeting specials as part of the national recruitment campaign for the regular police service. And as my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary recently announced at the Confederation of British Industry, we will also be working with employers to encourage them to support employees who are specials—in particular by giving them extra paid leave to carry out their police duties.

Special Constables

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables were employed in Hampshire in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The numbers of special constables in Hampshire since 1992 are given in the table. From 1990 to 1995, statistics on the strength of the special constabulary in England and Wales were collected by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). These were compiled at the end of the calendar year until 1993, and then for the financial year 1994–95. Since 1995, these statistics have been collected by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate. They are compiled at the end of March and September each year.
	
		
			   Number of special constables 
		
		
			 December 1992 587 
			 December 1993 611 
			 March 1995 598 
			 September 1995 549 
			 September 1996 519 
			 September 1997 681 
			 September 1998 747 
			 September 1999 720 
			 September 2000 500 
			 September 2001 444 
		
	
	Notes:
	Figures to March 1995 supplied by HMIC.
	Figures from September 1995 supplied by Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate.
	The Government is committed to reversing the recent decline in the number of special constables. As we outlined in the White Paper, the current police reform process is an opportunity to achieve a stronger, increasingly professional special constabulary. Measures to achieve this include: a new headline role focusing on intelligence led patrolling and crime reduction initiatives; a new national foundation training package for special constables; joint Home Office/Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) good practice guidance covering recruitment, management and deployment of specials; new conditions of service and conduct regulations.
	In January 2002 we ran a press campaign targeting specials as part of the national recruitment campaign for the regular police service. And as my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) recently announced at the Confederation of British Industry, we will also be working with employers to encourage them to support employees who are specials.

World Cup

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many football supporters resident in the West Midlands have been banned from travelling to the FIFA World cup.

John Denham: Fifty-five of the 1,031 individuals currently subject to banning orders preventing travel to the 2002 World cup finals are resident in the West Midlands Police Authority area.

World Cup

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representatives of UK law enforcement agencies will be present in Japan and South Korea during the FIFA World cup.

John Denham: The number of English police officers deployed in Japan and South Korea for the World cup finals cannot be revealed for operational reasons.

World Cup

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been refused permission to leave the United Kingdom to attend the World cup football matches in view of their possible involvement with violence.

John Denham: 1,032 people have been prevented from travelling to the World cup in accordance with the conditions of their football orders.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Council House Transfer

Eric Martlew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many council tenants voted (a) for and (b) against their home to be transferred from council ownership in the current year.

Tony McNulty: There are 29 local authorities on the 2001–02 housing stock transfer programme. A total of 227,228 votes have been cast in tenants' ballots, with 132,567 voting for and 94,661 voting against transfer. 24 authorities hope to transfer as part of the 2002–03 programme. There has been one tenants' ballot so far, in which 3,038 tenants voted, with 1,721 voting for and 1,317 voting against transfer.

Homelessness

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on eradicating bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless people; if this will exclude the use of hotel accommodation; and when full implementation will be achieved.

Tony McNulty: In March this year the then Secretary of State announced a £35 million programme to ensure that by March 2004 no homeless family with children is in a bed and breakfast hotel for more than six weeks. High using local authorities have submitted action plans showing how they will reduce numbers and length of stay for homeless families with children, including the applications resources to support them. These are currently under consideration and it is expected that announcements will be made shortly.

Homelessness

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will give special financial assistance to Castle Point borough council to meet its statutory responsibility for statutory homelessness in the borough; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: In responding to the March 2002 report "More than a roof", the Government announced that they would allocate £125 million in 2002–03 to tackle homelessness. The Government have already provided local authorities with an additional £8 million per annum in Revenue Support Grant to help them meet their new statutory obligations under the Homelessness Act 2002. All housing authorities will also receive a share of an additional £10 million in 2002–03 to enable them to deliver our proposed Order to extend the priority need groups under part VII of the Housing Act 1996.
	On 14 March 2002, authorities were invited to submit proposals to the new Homelessness Directorate in my Department for funding for local homelessness strategies. These are being considered at the moment.

E-commerce

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress the Government have made towards meeting the objective that the UK be the best environment in the world for e-commerce by 2002.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	In December 2001 the e-Minister and e-envoy published the second Annual UK Online report detailing progress made towards meeting this objective. This report is available on the office of the e-envoy's website—http://www.e-envoy.gov.uk.

Park Homes

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what provisions regarding Park Homes he plans to include in a housing Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: We are currently considering the options for changes to the law that would implement the undertakings given by the Government in their response to the Park Homes working party report.

Park Homes

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he is making in implementing recommendations of the Park Homes working party which do not require legislation; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Government have, in the last two years, issued good practice guidance to local authorities on harassment and illegal eviction, and site licensing. Research is planned to review the model standards on which site licences are based, and consultation on this is likely.
	We are closely consulting with bodies representing home owners and park owners on such matters as amending the industry's voluntary written statement to clarify and improve the terms of agreements between home owners and park owners.
	A study of the economics of park homes, recommended by the Park Homes working party, is in its final stages and is likely to be published in late summer.

Permitted Development Rights

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what plans he has to change the regime of permitted development rights in so far as they affect the activities of the Land Access and Recreation Forum; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has to change the planning regime for game and clay pigeon shoots; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) published research on 12 September 2001 on the impact of provisions relating to the temporary use of land, including land used for motorsports and game and clay pigeon shooting. It addressed matters such as impact on local amenity and the environment, for example in terms of litter, noise and relationships with other land uses in the area.
	On 24 January 2002 DTLR issued a consultation paper on possible options for change to the current temporary use provisions. The paper put forward six options for change as well as inviting proposals for alternative options. The closing date for responses was 24 April 2002. Responses are currently being analysed. The views of all those who responded will be considered before any decisions are made on the future of the temporary use provisions.

Travellers

Howard Stoate: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures his Department is taking to tackle the problem of illegal encampments by travellers; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The ODPM is working closely with other Government agencies to develop policies and initiatives towards the management of unauthorised encampments by travellers.
	New guidance, issued jointly with the Home Office, on Managing Unauthorised Camping is due to be published later this year.

Councillors' Interests

Ian Gibson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what advice he gives to local authorities on public access to the register of interests of councillors.

Nick Raynsford: The statute requires that copies of the register of members interests be kept available at an office of the authority for inspection by members of the public at all reasonable hours, and that the authority must publicise the address at which the register is kept and inform the Standards Board for England that such copies are available. Informal advice on conduct issues, including on where additional copies of the register may be kept by parish councils, is given in the new ethical framework bulletins, which until April were published by the Department and are now the responsibility of the Standards Board.

Millennium Dome

Chris Grayling: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the potential return to the Exchequer from the dome disposal agreement.

Tony McNulty: As indicated when the deal agreed between English Partnerships and Meridian Delta Ltd. and Anshutz Entertainment Group was announced on 29 May, the expected value of the deal to English Partnerships is up to £550 million cash, over the whole period of the deal up to 2025, or around £240 million net present value, assuming the full scheme is developed.

Millennium Dome

Chris Grayling: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if the Millennium Commission funded pier adjoining the dome site is included in the disposal agreement.

Tony McNulty: No, it is not.

Fire Service (Traffic Accidents)

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of fire service call-outs were to deal with road traffic incidents in each of the last five years.

Nick Raynsford: The following table shows road traffic accidents as a percentage of all incidents attended by fire brigades. Figures relate to England and Wales.
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1996 3 
			 1997 3 
			 1998 4 
			 1999 4 
			 2000(35) 4 
		
	
	(35) Provisional

Retail Premises

Howard Stoate: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to give local authorities the power to fine the landlords of retail premises that consistently fail to ensure that their shop-fronts are regularly cleaned and properly maintained.

Nick Raynsford: The issue of local authorities' ability to intervene where shop-fronts are poorly maintained and unkempt is being considered by a cross-Government review of the powers and responsibilities that govern all aspects of public spaces and local environments. The review will publish its findings, with recommendations for specific reforms, as a consultation document in the autumn.
	Furthermore, the draft Local Government Bill, on which we are currently consulting, contains provisions to allow local authorities and business rate payers to work together to put in place local improvements, such as to the street environment.

Local Government Employees (Code of Conduct)

Chris Mullin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to produce a code of conduct for local government employees; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: Following discussions with the Local Government Association, the Employers Organisation and public sector unions, we are now drawing up a draft code on which we intend to consult during the summer.

Cornish Language

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with his colleagues in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the case for the specifying of the Cornish language in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Nick Raynsford: I have had no discussions with colleagues in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on this issue but, as the lead Department for the Charter, they are aware of the position on the Government's assessment of the case for specifying the Cornish language.

Cornish Language

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answers of 20 November 2001, Official Report, column 216W, and 19 March 2002, Official Report, column 227W, on the Cornish language, when his Department will complete its assessment of the case for specifying the Cornish language within the provision of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Nick Raynsford: I appreciate and share fully the hon. Member's interest in reaching a timely conclusion on this issue. Unfortunately, completion of the Government office for the south west's report was delayed but I expect finally to receive it before the end of this month. I can assure the hon. Member the report will receive urgent attention.

Second Homes

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he received on his Department's consultation document on second homes and council tax since January.

Nick Raynsford: We received 443 responses to our consultation.

Second Homes

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the response to his Department's consultation document on council tax and second homes this year.

Nick Raynsford: We are considering the way forward in the light of these responses. An analysis of the responses has been placed on our website at www.local.odpm.gov.uk

Second Homes

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what timetable he has set for the implementation of a removal of the right of second home owners to council tax discounts;
	(2)  when he intends to bring forward legislation to allow local authorities the power to remove the 50 per cent. council tax discount for second home owners.

Nick Raynsford: Our consultation paper "Council Tax: Proposed changes for second homes and long term empty homes" was published in November last year. The consultation period closed on 15 February. We are considering the way forward and hope to announce final decisions shortly.

Social Housing

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what financial and other incentives the Government have provided to social housing providers developing new accommodation units provided on a shared equity basis in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Tony McNulty: Funding is provided through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme (ADP) and Local Authority Social Housing Grant (LASHG) to assist registered social landlords in developing units for sale on shared ownership terms. The table shows the funding provided in each of the last five years.
	
		£ million 
		
			  ADP LASHG Total 
		
		
			 Outturn
			 1998–99 83.74 8.52 92.26 
			 1999–2000 72.92 13.71 86.63 
			 2000–01 95.48 20.19 115.67 
			 2001–02 85.72 30.95 116.67 
			 
			 Allocation
			 2002–03 149.05 (36)— 149.05 
		
	
	(36) Not available

Architects

David Rendel: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to abolish the protection of the title of architect, as recommended by the 1993 Warne report; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Government currently has no proposals to abolish the protection of the title, architect, as recommended by the 1993 Warne report. This would require amendment of the Architects Act 1997, and any future proposal to make such an amendment would require extensive public consultation.

Regional Government Finance

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department has given the North East Assembly on spending Government funds given to it under the Strengthening Regional Accountability Initiative.

Nick Raynsford: The Department has awarded the North East Assembly £1.7 million under the regional chambers fund for strengthening regional accountability: £500,000 in 2001–02 and £600,00 in each of 2002–03 and 2003–04. In July 2001, the then Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions issued guidance to the North East Assembly on the operation of the fund. The guidance was updated and re-issued in February 2002; a copy is in the Library. The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has also issued funding agreements to Northumberland county council, the North East Assembly's accountable body, in respect of 2001–02 and 2002–03 and 2003–04 combined.

TREASURY

State Aid Approvals

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if funding for which state aid approval is granted is automatically included in the public sector accounts;
	(2)  if he will list the criteria by which it is determined whether funding for which state aid approval has been granted is included in the public sector accounts.

Paul Boateng: Public sector accounts include the income and expenditure of all organisations classified to the public sector by the Office for National Statistics.
	State aid approval does not affect how expenditure is recorded in public sector accounts.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what has been the (a) cost and (b) saving from the pursuit of the Department's Public Service Agreement targets in each year since they were introduced;
	(2)  what the (a) cost and (b) saving has been from the Department's pursuit of Service Delivery Agreement targets in each year since they were introduced.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury's Public Service Agreement set out the key outcomes it is committed to deliver with the resources provided, and its Service Delivery Agreement set out the key steps towards delivery of those targets Each year the Treasury publishes performance against its targets—including on value for money—and the resources it has used, in its departmental report.

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were employed by his Department on (a) 2 May 1997 and (b) 31 May 2002.

Ruth Kelly: Data on staffing levels are not available for the dates requested as they are collected twice a year only, as at 1 April and 1 October. We are currently in the process of collecting the data for 1 April 2002.
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 13 June.

Public Expenditure

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of total public expenditure per head excluding defence was in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales for each of the last five years.

Paul Boateng: Total identifiable public expenditure per head in England, Scotland and Wales is shown in table 8.1 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2002–03 (Cm 5401). Identifiable spending excludes defence and some other spending that is deemed to be for the benefit of the United Kingdom as a whole and not identifiable as for the benefit of a particular country.

Overseas Investment

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much UK overseas investment was in each year since 1996 broken down by each main region of destination.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 17 June 2002
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on UK investment abroad since 1996 by region of destination. I am replying in his absence. (61861)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not compile a full geographical breakdown of the United Kingdom's financial account (which contains the United Kingdom's investment flows), although some information is available for the direct investment component. A geographical breakdown of UK foreign direct investment abroad is published annually in the Foreign Direct Investment Business Monitor (MA4), copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

BCCI

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Governor of the Bank of England concerning the legal action of the liquidators of BCCI against the Bank of England.

Ruth Kelly: The Chancellor meets regularly with the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss a range of issues.

Consultation

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new steps his Department took in 2001–02 to consult the users of its services about their wishes and expectations; and if he will publish the findings.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The main service provided directly to the public by the Treasury is the provision of information.
	In 2001–02 the Treasury consulted the public on the development of our website—the main vehicle by which we provide information—the results of which were fed into the site relaunch in November 2001. In 2002–03 we intend to consult regular users (financial professionals, journalists and members of the general public) of the main Treasury website, specifically to find out how they would like the site to develop in the future.
	The Treasury are currently consulting on the development, in conjunction with Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise, of a new website aimed specifically at young people, but also which should also be of general public interest, explaining the work of the Chancellor's Departments in a more general way than is possible via the main website.
	The Treasury also provides information on topical subjects such as third world debt in response to letters from members of the public requesting this information.

Computers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many computers were replaced in his Department in each of the past three years; how the replaced units were disposed of and by which companies; and at what cost.

Ruth Kelly: In the financial years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02, HM Treasury replaced about 1,000 desktop computers.
	Treasury attempts to sell off its redundant IT equipment wherever possible. The following details the sales over the last three years.
	
		
			 Year/company Value of sales (£) 
		
		
			 1999–2000  
			 Computers for U Ltd. (now CFU Ltd.) 26,000 
			 Logstat Computer Services 8,500 
			 London Computer Auctions 8,000 
			 RD Computers 6,000 
			 OCM Business Systems 3,000 
			 Technologic LSI (Europe) Ltd. 1,000 
			   
			 2000–01  
			 Computers for U Ltd. (now CFU Ltd.) 8,500 
			 JB Computer Brokerage 7,500 
			 2001–02  
			 CFU Ltd. 5,000 
			 JB Computer Brokerage 500 
		
	
	Over the last three years the numbers of HMCE PC and laptop replacements were as follows:
	
		
			 Year ended Replacements 
		
		
			 31 March 2000 1,850 
			 31 March 2001 3,611 
			 31 March 2002 16,395 
		
	
	Prior to 31 March 2000 disposals were at local management discretion. A national scheme was established whereby charities in each region were invited to request replaced equipment and collect it at their own expense. Unusable equipment was discarded. Security and environmental factors were taken into consideration at all times. The cost incurred in disposal was minimal and related mainly to the time of the departmental staff involved.
	On 31 March 2000 ownership of HMCE desktop and laptop computers passed to ICL (now Fujitsu Services) under a PFI contract. The contracted service charge covers replacement and disposal costs as well as provision of the day to day services. Fujitsu Services operate a Second Time Around Replacement (STAR) system, whereby renovated equipment is deployed as far as economically possible to reduce costs. During 1999, the Inland Revenue replaced all its PCs, laptops, servers and printers under a major programme known as Infrastructure 2000 (i2K). The aims of the programme were to introduce a common, market-centred infrastructure platform and to meet Year 2000 security requirements. Some 60,000 terminals were installed during this period (the largest NT installation in Europe at the time). Under i2K, a large percentage of the Department's existing IT kit was upgraded, refurbished and redeveloped as part of the deals negotiated with equipment suppliers. Because of this and the massive scale of the i2K programme (cost over £200 million), specific costs on disposal of individual items for the financial year 1999–2000 would be available only at disproportionate cost.
	Since the successful delivery of i2K, the Department has operated a rolling programme of replacing IT kit. During the last two financial years, we have replaced the following numbers of PCs:
	2000–01: 4,957
	2001–02: 23,297.
	During this period, the Department has employed RD Computers Ltd. and DataServ-CES to dispose of IT equipment. The cost of disposals was:
	2000–01: £55,158
	2001–02: £199,751.
	However, income from sales of redundant IT kit during the same period were:
	2000–01: £204,886
	2001–02: £635,758.

Departmental Expenditure Limit

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much and what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit for 2002–03 had been spent by 31 May; what the figures were for 2001–02; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: Reliable estimates for 2002–03 spending to 31 may are not available. Estimated outturn spending figures for 2001–02 can be found in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2002–03, published in May 2002 as Command Paper 5401.

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the exemption of voluntary organisations from the Financial Services compensation scheme.

Ruth Kelly: The purpose of the Financial Services compensation scheme is to mitigate the losses of eligible claimants when a firm is unable to meet claims against it. Whether a firm is "voluntary" is not a criterion for scheme participation.

National Air Traffic Services

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with representatives of the insurance industry concerning the availability of insurance cover for the National Air Traffic Service.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 13 June 2002
	Third party war and terrorism insurance for National Air Traffic Services is available through the Government's Troika insurance scheme. The scheme is currently due to come to an end on 30 June 2002. Discussions are continuing with the insurance industry and in Europe on arrangements beyond that date, although no discussions have been held with National Air Traffic Services themselves.

Ministerial Visits (Wales)

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) date, (b) location and (c) purpose was of visits by Ministers in his Department to Wales since 1997; and when he next intends to visit Wales.

Paul Boateng: Treasury Ministers have visited Wales on a number of occasions since 1997. My right hon. Friend last visited Wales on 23 May, but has no immediate plans for a further visit.

Women (Employment Statistics)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the total employment rate for women with dependent children aged (a) 0–4, (b) 5–10 and (c) 11–15 years has changed since 1989, broken down by (i) full and part-time work and (ii) women with (A) higher, (B) other and (C) no qualifications; and how the employment rate varies in each region.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 17 June 2002
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment rates for women with dependent children. I am replying in his absence. (61862)
	The attached tables provide estimates of employment rates for working-age women with dependent children, for the three month periods ending May 1998 and May 2001.
	These estimate are from the Labour Force Survey and are not seasonally adjusted.
	
		Table 1: Employment rates(37) of women by age of youngest child(38), by Standard Statistical Region(39)—Springs (March to May) 1989 and 2001; not seasonally adjusted -- Employment rate (%)
		
			   Women aged 16–59  
			   With youngest dependent child aged Without  
			  All 0–4 5–10 11–15 16–18 dependent children 
		
		
			  Spring (March to May) 1989
			 United Kingdom 65.9 39.6 65.0 73.1 74.9 72.8 
			 Great Britain 66.2 39.5 65.4 73.6 75.3 73.2 
			 England 66.9 40.0 66.5 74.2 76.3 73.9 
			 Northern region 62.8 38.0 64.4 75.6 72.8 67.8 
			 North West 64.2 42.9 65.7 72.4 73.0 70.1 
			 Yorks and Humberside 63.3 38.3 66.7 71.3 75.0 69.2 
			 East Midlands 68.5 44.2 68.3 77.9 67.2 75.2 
			 West Midlands 64.4 34.6 62.4 73.4 75.4 72.3 
			 East Anglia 70.1 44.9 68.3 82.2 70.2 76.3 
			 Greater London 66.4 37.5 60.1 64.8 77.4 75.4 
			 Rest of South East 70.9 39.8 71.0 78.9 82.9 78.2 
			 South West 69.1 43.3 70.0 75.2 78.5 74.8 
			 Wales 60.8 38.6 62.7 69.1 64.3 65.5 
			 Scotland 62.7 35.4 56.9 71.1 70.9 70.3 
			 Northern Ireland 53.5 41.0 52.3 52.7 63.7 58.8 
			
			  Spring (March to May) 2001
			 United Kingdom 69.3 53.9 69.9 75.0 80.3 72.3 
			 Great Britain 69.6 53.9 70.1 75.3 80.6 72.6 
			 England 69.9 53.7 70.3 76.0 80.2 73.2 
			 Northern region 64.6 47.6 69.2 71.8 79.8 66.4 
			 North West 68.9 57.7 71.2 72.8 78.9 70.7 
			 Yorks and Humberside 69.2 55.4 72.1 77.9 75.2 70.7 
			 East Midlands 70.0 56.3 72.8 77.5 81.7 71.7 
			 West Midlands 68.3 51.3 68.5 72.6 84.3 71.8 
			 East Anglia 74.9 56.1 78.2 77.2 85.8 78.3 
			 Greater London 64.2 43.0 58.9 67.1 67.9 71.2 
			 Rest of South East 74.1 57.8 73.1 81.1 80.2 77.7 
			 South West 74.3 57.7 75.5 83.3 91.1 76.4 
			 Wales 63.3 47.7 68.6 68.4 80.4 64.7 
			 Scotland 69.8 60.6 68.2 73.3 84.9 71.3 
			 Northern Ireland 60.0 52.5 65.5 65.7 73.8 59.1 
			
			  Change, spring 1989 to spring 2001(40)
			 United Kingdom 3.4 14.3 5.0 2.0 5.4 -0.6 
			 Great Britain 3.4 14.4 4.7 1.7 5.3 -0.5 
			 England 3.0 13.7 3.8 1.8 3.9 -0.7 
			 Northern region 1.8 9.6 4.8 -3.9 7.1 -1.4 
			 North West 4.7 14.8 5.5 0.4 5.9 0.7 
			 Yorks and Humberside 5.9 17.1 5.4 6.6 0.2 1.5 
			 East Midlands 1.5 12.2 4.5 -0.4 14.5 -3.5 
			 West Midlands 3.9 16.6 6.1 -0.7 8.9 -0.5 
			 East Anglia 4.8 11.2 9.9 -5.0 15.6 1.9 
			 Greater London -2.2 5.6 -1.2 2.3 -9.5 -4.2 
			 Rest of South East 3.2 17.9 2.1 2.3 -2.8 -0.5 
			 South West 5.3 14.3 5.5 8.1 12.6 1.6 
			 Wales 2.6 9.1 5.9 -0.6 16.1 -0.8 
			 Scotland 7.1 25.3 11.2 2.2 14.1 1.0 
			 Northern Ireland 6.5 11.5 13.3 13.0 10.1 0.3 
		
	
	(37) Women in employment as a percentage of all women
	(38) Children aged under 16 and those aged 16–18 in full-time education
	(39) Estimates are given for Standard Statistical Regions (SSRs) as Government Office Regions (GORs) are not available prior to spring (March to May) 1992
	(40) Percentage points
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 2: Employment rates(41) of women by full-time/part-time status(42) and age of youngest dependent child(43); United Kingdom; springs (March to May) 1989 and 2001; not seasonally adjusted -- Thousands and per cent.
		
			   Women aged 16–59  
			   With youngest dependent child aged Without  
			  All 0–4 5–10 11–15 16–18 dependent children 
		
		
			  Spring (March to May) 1989
			 All persons (thousands) (=100%)(44) 16,666 3,029 2,098 1,466 474 9,598 
			 In full-time employment (%) 38.2 12.6 19.7 30.3 37.1 51.6 
			 In part-time employment (%) 27.6 27.0 45.2 42.6 37.8 21.1 
			
			  Spring (March to May) 2001
			 All persons (thousands) (=100%)(44) 17,479 2,997 2,366 1,569 567 9,979 
			 In full-time employment (%) 39.4 17.9 25.5 36.9 43.7 49.4 
			 In part-time employment (%) 29.8 35.9 44.4 38.1 36.6 22.9 
			
			  Change, spring 1989 to spring 2001(45)
			 In full-time employment 1.2 5.4 5.8 6.6 6.7 -2.3 
			 In part-time employment 2.3 8.9 -0.8 -4.6 -1.2 1.8 
		
	
	(41) Women in full-time/part-time employment as a percentage of all women
	(42) The definition of full-time/part-time is based on respondents' self-assessment
	(43) Children aged under 16 and those aged 16–18 in full-time education
	(44) Base for percentages includes women who did not state their full-time/part-time status
	(45) Percentage points
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 3: Employment rates(46) of women by highest qualification level and age of youngest dependent child(47); United Kingdom; springs (March to May) 1989 and 2001; not seasonally adjusted -- Thousands and per cent.
		
			   Women aged 16–59  
			   With youngest dependent child aged Without  
			  All 0–4 5–10 11–15 16–18 dependent children 
		
		
			  Spring (March to May) 1998
			 All persons (thousands)(48) 16,666 3,029 2,098 1,466 474 9,598 
			 Higher qualifications(49) (%) 80.9 63.8 82.7 87.2 88.6 85.4 
			 Other qualifications(50) (%) 69.6 40.2 68.7 76.9 78.4 78.6 
			 No qualifications (%) 55.3 26.6 54.7 66.0 65.8 60.2 
			
			  Spring (March to May) 2001
			 All persons (thousands)(48) 17,479 2,997 2,366 1,569 567 9,979 
			 Higher qualifications(49) (%) 84.7 73.3 85.6 88.6 88.3 87.0 
			 Other qualifications(50) (%) 70.8 54.3 71.9 78.5 84.5 74.2 
			 No qualifications (%) 55.3 26.6 54.7 66.0 65.8 60.2 
			
			  Change, spring 1989 to spring 2001(51)
			 Higher qualifications(49) 3.8 9.5 2.9 1.4 -0.2 1.6 
			 Other qualifications(50) 1.2 14.1 3.2 1.6 6.1 -4.4 
			 No qualifications 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
		
	
	(46) Women with each qualification level who are in employment as a percentage of all women with the relevant qualification level
	(47) Children aged under 16 and those aged 16–18 in full-time education
	(48) Includes women who did not state their qualifications
	(49) Higher qualifications are those above GCE A-level or equivalent
	(50) Other qualifications are those of GCE A-level or equivalent or lower and includes miscellaneous qualification which cannot be classified
	(51) Percentage points
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Ministerial Attendance (Select Committee)

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the First Special report from the Transport, Local Government and the Regions Committee Session 2001–02, on the attendance of a Minister from the Treasury before the Transport and Local Government Committee.

Paul Boateng: The Government expect to respond to the report soon.

Privatised Industry Regulators

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what responsibility he has for setting Government policy with regard to the independence of the economic regulators of the privatised utilities.

Paul Boateng: Primary responsibility for the Government's policy on specific regulated industries rests with the relevant Secretary of State.

Privatised Industry Regulators

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from (a) the DTLR, (b) the SRA, (c) the Office of the Rail Regulator and (d) train operating companies with regard to the Government's policy towards the independence of the economic regulators of the privatised utilities.

Paul Boateng: Treasury Ministers receive representations from a variety of organisations and individuals on a regular basis.
	Responsibility for the Government's policy on railways rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. I refer the hon. Member to an answer the Secretary of State gave on the subject of rail regulation on 12 June.

Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on press and advertising campaigns in 2001–02; and what the planned expenditure is for 2002–03.

Ruth Kelly: There has been no expenditure for HM Treasury for press and advertising campaigns in 2001–02, there is no planned expenditure for 2002–03.

Inland Revenue (Penalties)

Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level of penalty is charged against those failing to submit returns to the Inland Revenue; how many businesses have received these penalties against them over the past three years; and what the total amount received by the Exchequer as a result of these fines was.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue charges late filing penalties for Self Assessment (SA), Corporation Tax Self Assessment (CTSA) and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax. SA taxpayers failing to submit returns by the filing date are charged a £100 penalty and a second £100 penalty if they have not filed six months after the due date. The Inland Revenue can also seek penalties of between £10 and £60 a day at the discretion of the Tax Commissioners on SA taxpayers who persist in not filing a return. Employers and contractors failing to submit a PAYE return are charged a penalty of £100 per month the return is later for each 50 employees or subcontractors. Companies that are late in filing their CTSA returns are charged £100 if they file less than three months after the filing date, £200 if they are between three and 18 months late (if the company files late on three consecutive occasions, these penalties increase to £500 and £1,000 respectively), 10 per cent. of their unpaid tax if they are 18 months to two years late and 20 per cent. of their unpaid tax if they are more than two years late in filing.
	Businesses may be liable to submit a return as employers, or under the SA or CTSA regulations. But these regulations also include non-business taxpayers such as employees taxed at the higher rate who are within SA. The Inland Revenue does not distinguish between penalties charged on businesses and other types of taxpayers, so the figures that follow are for all penalties within SA, CTSA and PAYE.
	The first table shows the number of penalties raised by the Inland Revenue from late filing penalties on returns over the last three financial years.
	
		
			  Penalties raised in the financial year ended: 
			 Head of Duty 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 PAYE(52) 130,000 120,000 150,000 
			 SA(53) 1,400,000 1,600,000 1,500,000 
			 CTSA(52) 170,00 180,000 220,000 
		
	
	(52) Rounded to the nearest 10,000
	(53) Rounded to the nearest 100,000
	The second table shows the total amount paid in respect of penalties over the last three account years (these run from November to October and are periods over which the Department's annual accounts are calculated).
	
		
			  Penalties paid (£) in the account year ended: 
			 Head of Duty 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 PAYE(54) 14,200,000 14,400,000 15,100,000 
			 SA(54) 29,400,000 33,000,000 36,200,000 
			 CTSA(54) 14,400,000 18,000,000 25,300,000 
		
	
	(54) Rounded to nearest £100,000

Inland Revenue (Penalties)

David Rendel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to prevent the issuing of penalty notices for £0 by the Inland Revenue.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue have no plans at present to stop issuing penalty notices for nil.
	Page 1 of the tax return states that the return should reach the Inland Revenue by 'the later of 31 January and 3 months after the date the notice [to make the return] was given, at the latest, or you will be liable to an automatic penalty of £100'.
	The issue of a penalty notice lets the customer know that a penalty has been incurred. The nil penalty notice gives the customer who knows the return is late (and has no tax liability) confirmation that the penalty is capped at nil. As the penalty may not remain at nil (if, for example, the customer amends the return or tax becomes payable following an inquiry) it is important that the customer is aware that a penalty has been incurred.

Basic State Pension

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the additional (a) income tax and (b) VAT which would be paid if the basic state pension was raised to £120 a week for the single pensioner and £150 for married couples in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04.

Dawn Primarolo: The estimated income tax yield wold be some £2.8 billion in 2002–03 and £3.3 billion in 2003–04. The VAT yield would depend on what pensioners decided to do with the increase.

Grants

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which organisations and outside bodies which were in receipt of grant in 1997–98 are no longer; what the annual saving is (a) individually and (b) in aggregate; which organisations and outside bodies which were not in receipt of grant in 1997–98 now are; and what the annual cost is (i) individually and (ii) in aggregate.

Paul Boateng: The aggregate figure for government grants to private organisations and individual was £28.6 billion in 2000–01 (the last year for which full outturn data are available) compared with £24.8 billion in 1997–98. This excludes social security payments classified as grants in the national accounts as grants and includes lottery grants.
	Detailed analysis of departmental spending is contained in Departments' annual reports. Comprehensive data on individual grant recipients are not centrally available.

Corporation Tax

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to extend the reduction in corporation tax for incorporated companies announced in the Budget to unincorporated businesses; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Djanogly) on 20 May 2002, Official Report, column 106W.

Pricing Agreements

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many advanced pricing agreements (a) have been made and (b) were in force with multinational companies in each year since 1996; and in how many cases each year enforcement action or penalties were taken in transfer pricing disputes.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		Advanced pricing agreements
		
			 Year to 31 March Agreements made Agreements in force 
		
		
			 1996 3 8 
			 1997 2 10 
			 1998 3 13 
			 1999 2 15 
			 2000 10 25 
			 2001 11 36 
		
	
	Transfer pricing issues are dealt with across the IR network, and a variety of enforcement action is taken or proposed, but in most instances information is eventually provided voluntarily, without the need of formal proceedings. Specific records are not maintained. No penalties were taken in respect of transfer pricing disputes.

Financial Action Task Force

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which countries are listed as non co-operating countries and territories under the Financial Action Task Force process; which countries have been identified as not co-operating with the new recommendations to tackle terrorist financing; how he estimates that non-compliance will affect the UK's relationship with such countries; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The following countries and territories are currently listed as non co-operative in the fight against money laundering: Cook Islands, Dominica, Egypt, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Lebanon, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, Nauru, Nigeria, Niue, Philippines, Russia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The list will be reviewed and updated at the forthcoming FATF plenary to be held 18 to 21 June. The FATF has issued a self-assessment questionnaire concerning observance of the eight special recommendations on terrorist financing to both FATF and non-FATF members and will be considering the results at its forthcoming meeting. Countries and territories on the FATF's list have generally worked positively with the FATF to improve their anti money laundering systems and the UK has provided help and support on a bilateral basis to several countries on the list.

Self-employment Tax Claims

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the number of false self-employment tax claims in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: None. An individual's employment status for tax and national insurance purposes depends on the terms and conditions under which that person is engaged. Where the Inland Revenue discovers that someone is working on terms which should mean they are employed but are being treated incorrectly by their employer as self-employed then the employer may have to meet extra tax and national insurance liabilities for past years, interest and penalties. In cases of fraud or evasion, the Inland Revenue may prosecute.

Self-employment Tax Claims

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures have been taken to deal with the level of false self-employment tax claims; how much has been spent investigating such claims in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue aims to ensure that the law on employment status is applied even- handedly across all sectors of industry. As part of its compliance strategy, the Revenue's local employer compliance review teams consider employment status issues when undertaking reviews to ensure employers and contractors are compliant with the tax and national insurance laws generally. No accurate estimate of the cost of the employment status element of these reviews is possible.

Self-employment Tax Claims

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the cost of false self-employment tax claims in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: None.

Self-employment Tax Claims

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to combat the falsification of tax claims by the self-employed; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue aims to ensure that the law on employment status is applied even- handedly across all sectors of industry. As part of its compliance strategy the Revenue's local employer compliance review teams consider employment status issues when undertaking reviews to ensure employers and contractors are compliant with the tax and national insurance laws generally.

Working Families Tax Credit

Michael Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of working families tax credit claimants (a) per constituency and (b) per head of population per constituency.

Dawn Primarolo: For the number of recipients of working families tax credit in each constituency, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow (Mr. Hepburn) on 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 293W.
	I understand from the Office for National Statistics that they do not currently produce population estimates for parliamentary constituencies. I am therefore unable to estimate the number of recipients per head of population in each constituency.

Climate Change Levy

Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the climate change levy on businesses within the retail industry.

John Healey: All of the revenue from the climate change levy is recycled back to business through NIC cuts and support for energy efficiency. While the levy package is broadly revenue neutral to business as a whole, the effects on any specific sector will depend on a number of factors, including:
	The future energy consumption of firms in the sector and the use they make of levy funded energy efficiency support.
	Employment levels in those sectors and the benefits received from the levy-funded national insurance contribution cuts.
	What use firms in that sector make of electricity generated from levy exempt renewable sources of energy and combined heat and power.

Customs (Coach Searches)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many coaches returning from trips abroad have been stopped by Customs and Excise, in the past year for searches to be carried out; and what locations away from ports have been used for such searches.

John Healey: The information is not available in the format requested. Customs keep records on search of person and aggregate data on seizures but do not routinely record every instance in which an officer stops a person or vehicle.
	The majority of Customs anti-smuggling searches of international traffic take place at the port, on Port Authority premises. Customs do, on occasions, undertake intelligence-led anti-smuggling work away from the ports (eg intercepting targets on motorways) usually working with the police.

NHS Auditors

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what functions will be fulfilled by the NHS auditors referred to in his budget statement; and how these will differ from the current functions, in respect of the NHS, of the (a) National Audit Office and (b) Audit Commission.

John Hutton: I have been asked to reply.
	It is proposed that the new commission for health care audit and inspection will include as its principal roles:
	Inspecting all national health service hospitals;
	Licensing private health care provision;
	Conducting NHS value for money audits on a national basis;
	Validating published performance assessment statistics on the NHS, including waiting list information;
	Publishing star ratings for all NHS organisations with the ability to recommend special measures where there are persistent problems;
	Publishing reports on the performance of NHS organisations both individually and collectively;
	Independent scrutiny of patient complaints;
	Publishing an annual report to Parliament on national progress on health care and how resources have been used.
	In relation to the NHS, the main responsibilities of the Audit Commission currently are to:
	Appoint auditors to audit the accounts of health bodies
	Prescribe the way in which auditors act through a Code of Audit Practice
	Set a scale of audit fees payable, and
	Carry out 'value for money' studies on the provision of services by audited bodies.
	The 'value for money' work is currently carried out at the national level by the Audit Commission and, as part of the local audit of NHS bodies, by auditors appointed by the Audit Commission.
	In future the Audit Commission value for money work carried out at both the national and local levels will be transferred to the new body. The Audit Commission will retain responsibility for the financial audit of NHS bodies.
	The current role of the National Audit Office in relation to the NHS will remain unchanged. They will continue to audit the summarised accounts of the NHS; to ensure that public money has been spent for the purposes which Parliament intended; to hold the Department accountable for the way it uses taxpayers' money, and to conduct a number of value for money investigations each year.

CABINET OFFICE

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the non-departmental public bodies, covered by the "Quangos: Opening the Doors" document, indicating (a) those that hold annual open meetings, (b) those that release summary reports of meetings, (c) those that invite evidence from members of the public, (d) those that allow public access to their records and (e) those brought within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Douglas Alexander: The 1998 publication, "Quangos, Opening the Doors", set out proposals for all non- departmental public bodies (NDPBs), where appropriate, to be more open and responsive to the public. The information requested is not currently available but it is my intention to publish later this year in the Cabinet Office's publication "Public Bodies 2002" new information on: annual open meetings; release of summary reports of meetings; registers of members' interests; NDPB ombudsmen; whether annual reports are to be published; and whether the appointments to the NDPBs are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Performance Targets

Tony Wright: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the performance targets that his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are required to meet, apart from those set out in the public service agreements for 1999 to 2002 and 2001 to 2004; and if he will specify for each target (a) who sets it and (b) who monitors achievement against it.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office has no performance targets other than those public service agreements (PSA) agreed as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review and listed in document Cm 4181—Public Service Agreements 1999–2002. Some of these targets were subsumed into new public service agreements, agreed as part of the Spending Review 2000, and are listed in document Cm 5119. Copies of both documents are held in the House of Commons Library.
	The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA), which is an executive agency of the Cabinet Office, and the Central Office of Information (COI), which is an executive agency and separate Government department, both report through the Cabinet Office.
	GCDA
	The strategic performance targets for GCDA are published annually in the agency's annual report and accounts. Copies of these are held in the House of Commons Library, or can be accessed via the GCDA website.
	Key performance targets for GCDA are set annually by the Minister when he approves the agency's corporate and business plans. These were announced on 24 May 2002, Official Report, column 677W.
	The chief executive is directly responsible to the Minister for ensuring that the agency achieves its performance target. Quarterly performance reports are submitted to the Minister via the Agencies Unit of the Cabinet Office, and the Permanent Secretary.
	COI
	Details of performance targets for COI are listed in the COI's annual reports and accounts. Copies of these are held in the House of Commons Library, or can be accessed via the COI website.
	Targets are formulated by the COI chief executive, submitted for approval by the Minister, and notified to Parliament.
	The five-year corporate plan sets out the COI's main strategic objectives and the means of progressing towards them. This is rolled forward and updated each year by means of a corporate plan and annual business plan. These plans are commercially sensitive and are not published. However, published targets for 2001–02 were announced on 3 May 2001. Targets for the period 2002–03 will be announced shortly.
	The chief executive is directly accountable to the Minister for ensuring that the agency achieves its performance targets. Quarterly performance reports are submitted to the Minister via the Agencies Unit, and the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office.
	The achievement against targets is audited by the National Audit Office as part of its audit of COI's annual report and accounts.
	None of the non-departmental public bodies are executive; therefore they are included within the main departmental targets.

Departmental Expenditure Limit

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much and what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit for 2002–03 had been spent by 31 May; what the figures were for 2001–02; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) gave to the hon. Member on 17 June 2002.

Better Regulation Task Force

Graham Allen: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office who the members of the Better Regulation Task Force are; what their other occupations are; and what the date of their appointment was.

Douglas Alexander: pursuant to the answer 21 May 2002, c. 290
	I regret that the information provided was incorrect—one member of the Better Regulation Task Force, Rex Symons, was not included.
	A register of members' interests is available on the task force website at http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/ regulation/TaskForce/members.htm.

PRIVY COUNCIL

Members' Travel Costs

John Mann: To ask the President of the Council what percentage of hon. Members' UK travel costs were for travel (a) by car, (b) by rail and (c) by aeroplane in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Robin Cook: For the financial year ended 31 March 2002, hon. Members' UK travel costs for (a) car, (b) rail and (c) aeroplane were £3,231,432 (50 per cent.), £1,784,303 (27 per cent.) and £1,507,598 (23 per cent.) respectively.

HEALTH

Paediatric Pathology

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors were working in paediatric pathology in (a) March 1997, (b) March 1998, (c) March 1999, (d) March 2000, (e) March 2001 and (f) March 2002.

John Hutton: The numbers of doctors working in paediatric pathology is not collected centrally. Census data are collected on 30 September of each year and the 2002 census will be available early 2003.
	Paediatric pathology is a sub-specialty of histopathology. The numbers of doctors working in histopathology is shown in the table.
	
		Hospital medical consultants within the histopathology speciality, England
		
			 At 30 September Number 
		
		
			 1997 770 
			 1998 830 
			 1999 840 
			 2000 860 
			 2001 920 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 10
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census
	We continually review future requirements for trained specialists as part of the national health service's new multi-disciplinary work force planning processes. These will look at the requirements for doctors alongside other staff focusing on the potential for new ways of working and developing new roles.
	The children's care group work force team will be reviewing paediatric services as part of its role in supporting the children's national service framework team in developing the work force aspect of the new national service framework.

Hip Replacements

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost of an elective primary hip replacement in each NHS (a) trust and (b) hospital was in 2000–01.

John Hutton: Details of national average costs related to specific treatments and procedures for 2000–01 are to be found in Reference Costs 2001, a copy of which is available in the Library.

Medical Education

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on medical education post reductions in relation to the strategic alliance between the Department of Health and the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

John Hutton: The strategic alliance for health and social care was concluded between the Department and the higher education funding council for England in April 2002. It will build on existing arrangements for consultation and liaison between the Department and the higher education funding council for England.
	Within the framework of the strategic alliance the Permanent Secretary of the Department and the chief executive of the higher education funding council for England will be meeting on 3 July 2002. Delivery of the medical school expansion programme, a key element of the NHS Plan, will be among the issues to be discussed.

Medical Education

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meeting he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to discuss the implications of staffing reductions at medical schools.

John Hutton: Regular meetings take place at official and ministerial level between the Department of Health and Department for Education and Skills (DFES). I am scheduled to meet with my hon. Friend the Minister of State at DFES on 26 June and staffing levels at medical schools will be among the issues to be discussed.

Medical Education

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role medical schools have in implementing the National Plan's human resources priorities.

John Hutton: Medical schools have an important role in implementing the NHS Plan human resources priorities. In particular, the implementation of medical school expansion will support the increase in the number of medical school places outlined in the Plan.

Medical Education

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many medical students have graduated in each of the last five years; and how many in each year worked within the NHS upon graduating.

John Hutton: The numbers of graduates from English medical schools in each of the last five academic years is shown in the table. The graduates referred to in the answer will almost all have entered medical school between autumn 1991 and autumn 1996.
	
		
			  Academic year Number of English medical school graduates 
		
		
			 1996–97 3,025 
			 1997–98 3,261 
			 1998–99 3,097 
			 1999–2000 3,373 
			 2000–01 3,286 
		
	
	In order to become fully registered with the General Medical Council, all medical school graduates need to satisfactorily complete a year as a Pre-Registration House Officer (PRHO). Virtually all graduates of English medical schools undertake their PRHO year in the national health service.
	The number of PRHOs in the NHS in England in each of the last five years is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Academic year Number of PRHOs in post 
		
		
			 1996–97 3,356 
			 1997–98 3,447 
			 1998–99 3,543 
			 1999–2000 3,641 
			 2000–01 3,685

Birmingham Care Consortium

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he and Ministers in his Department have had with representatives of the Birmingham Care Consortium in the last two months.

Jacqui Smith: None. I wrote to Mr. M. R. Grimson of the Birmingham Care Consortium on 7 May 2002 about the consortium's negotiations with Birmingham city council on care home fees.

Career Grade Doctors

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many non-consultant career grade doctors are employed in the NHS in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.

John Hutton: Available data are shown in the table.
	Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved Administrations.
	
		Hospital, public health medicine and community health services (HCHS): Non-consultant career grades
		
			 England at 30 September 2001 Number 
		
		
			 Associate specialist 1,630 
			 Clinical assistant 5,030 
			 Hospital practitioner 930 
			 Staff grade 4,970 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health 2001 medical and dental work force census

Nursing Applicants

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many overseas nursing applicants are awaiting admission to the UK nursing register; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: There are currently 5,800 overseas applications awaiting a decision from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) regarding entry to the UK nursing register. The NMC has a programme of action to clear these outstanding applications.

Foot Care

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 20 May 2002, Official Report, column 142W, on foot care, how many (a) professions and (b) projects were covered by the £3 million allocated for 2001–02.

John Hutton: In August 2001, 13 universities and colleges, in partnership with 11 work force development confederations were identified as "first wave" sites for the modernisation of allied health professions education. The professions included in the first wave are:
	Physiotherapy
	Occupational Therapy
	Radiography
	Chiropody/Podiatry
	Speech and Language therapy.

Foot Care

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 20 May 2002, Official Report, column 142W, on foot care, what amount was spent on education and training programmes for podiatrists and chiropodists.

Jacqui Smith: The spend for England and also the South East on pre-registration training programmes for podiatrists and chiropodists, excluding bursaries, together with the student population figures, are shown in the following tables. Information on student bursary spend is no longer collected.
	
		£000 
		
			  2000–01(55) 2001–02(56) 
		
		
			 Total spend (England) 5,668 6,654 
			 Spend (south-east) 1,296 1,677 
		
	
	(55) Actual spend
	(56) Forecast spend
	Note:
	The forecast spend is subject to final outturn
	Source:
	Financial and Workforce Information Return (FWIR) November 2001
	
		
			  2000–01(57) 2001–02(58) 
		
		
			 Student population (England) 921 1,038 
			 Student population (south-east) 251 278 
		
	
	(57) Actual student population
	(58) Forecast student population
	Note:
	The forecast spend is subject to final outturn
	Source:
	Financial and Workforce Information Return (FWIR) November 2001

Foot Care

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Warrington, North (Helen Jones), of 24 May 2002, Official Report, column 691W, on chiropody, how many of the 6,500 proposed extra professionals will be chiropodists.

Jacqui Smith: As at 30 September 2001 there were 3,400 more qualified therapists and other professional staff than at 30 September 1999. Of these, 190 (6 per cent.) are chiropodists. We would expect this proportion of chiropodists to be broadly similar in 2004.

Foot Care

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting for an appointment with an NHS chiropodist, broken down by health authority, on 1 May in each year since 1996.

John Hutton: The Department does not collect waiting times or numbers of people waiting for an appointment with an national health service chiropodist.

Residential/Nursing Home Beds

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential and nursing home beds were available in England, broken down by local authority, at the end of each year since 1996–97.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the total number of residential care beds, shown by local authority, and information on the total number of nursing care beds are shown in tables, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

National Health Service Pensions Agency

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken by the National Health Service Pensions Agency (a) to identify and (b) to pursue and recover overpayments.

John Hutton: The National Health Service Pensions Agency operates internal controls to ensure the correct pension benefits are being paid, including periodic checks on entitlement to ongoing pension payments. As reported in the resource accounts for the NHS pension scheme the agency also takes part in the national fraud initiative co-ordinated by the Audit Commission, to ensure pension payments were still being made to the individual originally entitled to the pension.
	Once overpayments have been identified, the agency has a special team who pursue recovery in accordance with the guidance in Government Accounting. Where necessary, cases are referred to solicitors for recovery, or, in cases involving fraud, to counter fraud specialists in the Department or the police.

Waiting Times

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the latest available figures for the number of people waiting more than six months for in-patient treatment in Dorset.

John Hutton: The information requested is collected centrally at trust level. The information for the Dorset area is shown in the table.
	
		In-patient waiting list data for NHS trusts in Dorset, -- as of 30 April 2002
		
			 NHS trust Total waiting list Number waiting over six months 
		
		
			 Dorset health care 0 0 
			 Poole hospital 2,207 4 
			 Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch hospitals 3,377 64 
			 West Dorset General hospitals 1,856 5 
		
	
	Source:
	DH monthly returns
	April 2002 is the most recent month for which information is available.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) agency staff, (b) positions unfilled for (i) one month and (ii) three months and (c) staff in children in care settings there were in each quarter of each of the last three years.

Jacqui Smith: We do not collect information on the numbers of agency staff who work in child care settings. Information about the number of child care positions unfilled is not collected on a regular basis. Ad hoc surveys have been undertaken in the past which have determined the vacancy rates in child care posts in social services departments or in the private sector. The last survey undertaken in this area was for 'Community Homes for Children Looked After' run by local authorities in England and Wales, and it was undertaken in 1999. This survey stated that in England the overall full-time and part-time vacancy rates were both 10.3 per cent.
	However, local authority social services departments in England complete an annual return giving information about the staff they employ as at 30 September. The data from this return gives the number of whole time equivalent staff employed in child and family services as follows:
	
		
			  Number of staff 
		
		
			 1999 38,005 
			 2000 38,505 
			 2001 38,195 
		
	
	Notes:
	The actual numbers of staff employed by local councils are greater than the above figures as some of these staff work only part-time.
	The above figures do not take into account those central and strategic staff and certain other categories of staff who provide more generic services across a range of council responsibilities.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) percentage and (b) number of children in care in each (i) region and (ii) health authority broken down by ethnic background, in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: Data available at 31 March is shown in the following tables. Data is not available for any years prior to this.
	
		Number of children looked after at 31 March 2001 by ethnic origin and Government region
		
			Ethnic origin  
			  All children White Mixed rate Asian or Asian British Black or Black British Other ethnic groups 
		
		
			 England 58,900 48,200 3,800 1,100 4,000 1,800 
			 North East 3,400 3,300 110 (59)— 10 (59)— 
			 North West 7,300 6,600 410 120 100 60 
			 Merseyside 2,400 2,200 90 (59)— 150 (59)— 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 6,500 5,800 420 150 70 20 
			 East Midlands 4,100 3,700 350 60 70 20 
			 West Midlands 6,500 5,200 450 220 380 170 
			 South West 4,900 4,500 240 20 100 90 
			 Eastern 5,200 4,700 260 70 100 100 
			 London 11,000 5,700 1,100 410 2,800 900 
			 South East 7,700 6,500 350 100 290 420 
		
	
	(59) Figure has been suppressed for reasons of confidentiality.
	Notes:
	Table excludes children looked after under a series of short-term placements.
	All figures over a thousand have been rounded to the nearest hundred; other figures rounded to the nearest ten.
	
		Percentage of children looked after at 31 March 2001 by ethnic origin and Government region -- percentage
		
			Ethnic origin  
			  All children (=100%) White Mixed race Asian or Asian British Black or Black British Other ethnic groups 
		
		
			 England 58,900 82 6 2 7 3 
			 North East 3,400 96 3 (60)— 0 (60)— 
			 North West 7,300 91 6 2 1 1 
			 Merseyside 2,400 89 4 (60)— 6 (60)— 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 6,500 90 6 2 1 0 
			 East Midlands 4,100 88 8 1 2 0 
			 West Midlands 6,500 81 7 3 6 3 
			 South West 4,900 91 5 0 2 2 
			 Eastern 5,200 90 5 1 2 2 
			 London 11,000 52 10 4 25 8 
			 South East 7,700 85 5 1 4 5 
		
	
	(60) Figure has been suppressed for reasons of confidentiality.
	Notes:
	Table excludes children looked after under a series of short-term placements.
	All figures over a thousand have been rounded to the nearest hundred.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the (a) number of children placed and (b) reasons for children being placed in (i) foster care and (ii) care for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The available information is shown in the tables.
	
		Number of looked after children who started one or more periods of foster placement during the years ending 31 March 1997–2000, by the reason for being looked after recorded for the first episode of the first foster placement started during the year
		
			 Reason for being looked after 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 All children 32,900 33,300 32,400 32,700 
			  
			 No parents 350 460 540 640 
			 Abandoned or lost 940 980 1,100 1,300 
			 Family or child homeless 250 230 240 250 
			 Parent(s) in prison 440 400 430 410 
			 Breakdown of adoptive family 90 70 70 90 
			 Preliminary to adoption 460 500 480 440 
			 Parent's health 3,900 4,000 3,500 3,000 
			 Parents/families need relief: 
			 child with disabilities 230 260 250 200 
			 other 7,800 7,300 6,100 5,700 
			 Abuse or neglect 10,000 11,200 12,200 13,400 
			 Concern for child's welfare 2,700 2,600 2,700 2,700 
			 Own behaviour 1,400 1,300 1,200 1,100 
			 Accused or guilty of an offence 710 800 740 690 
			 At request of child 730 640 590 530 
			 Other 2,900 2,500 2,200 2,400 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for England.
	2. Year ending 31 March.
	3. Table excludes children looked after under a series of short- term placements.
	4. Number of children starting a new period of foster placement during the year exceeds the number of children starting to be looked after in the year in a foster placement. Some children starting a new period of foster placement in the year will actually have started to be looked after in a previous year.
	5. All numbers over 1,000 have been rounded to the nearest 100; other figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	
		Number of looked after children who started one or more periods of placements during the years ending 31 March 1997–2000, by the reason for being looked after recorded for the first episode of the first placement started during the year
		
			 Reason for being looked after 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 All children 44,300 44,900 44,800 45,800 
			  
			 No parents 520 600 810 1,100 
			 Abandoned or lost 1,200 1,200 1,400 1,700 
			 Family or child homeless 400 350 390 340 
			 Parent(s) in prison 480 430 500 450 
			 Breakdown of adoptive family 120 100 110 130 
			 Preliminary to adoption 570 620 640 610 
			 Parent's health 4,200 4,300 3,800 3,400 
			 Parents/families need relief: 
			 child with disabilities 520 530 610 490 
			 other 9,600 9,000 7,900 7,400 
			 Abuse or neglect 13,600 15,300 16,800 18,200 
			 Concern for child's welfare 3,500 3,400 3,600 3,500 
			 Own behaviour 2,400 2,300 2,100 2,000 
			 Accused or guilty of an offence 1,900 2,000 1,800 1,800 
			 At request of child 1,100 930 760 760 
			 Other 4,300 4,000 3,700 3,900 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for England.
	2. Year ending 31 March.
	3. Table excludes children looked after under a series of short- term placements.
	4. Number of children starting a new period of placement during the year exceeds the number of children starting to be looked after in the year, as some children starting a new period of placement in the year will actually have started to be looked after in a previous year.
	5. All numbers over 1,000 have been rounded to the nearest 100; other figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	
		Number of looked after children who started one or more periods of placements during the years ending 31 March 2001, by the recorded Category of Need for the first placement started during the year
		
			  Type of placement  
			 Category of Need Foster placements All placements 
		
		
			 All children 29,800 41,700 
			
			 Abuse or neglect 15,800 22,000 
			 Disability 610 1,100 
			 Parent's illness or disability 2,700 3,200 
			 Family in acute stress 3,200 4,100 
			 Family dysfunction 3,800 5,200 
			 Socially unacceptable behaviour 1,500 2,900 
			 Low income 280 320 
			 Absent parenting 1,900 2,900 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for England.
	2. Table excludes children looked after under a series of short- term placements.
	3. Number of children starting a new period of placement during the year exceeds the number of children starting to be looked after in the year, as some children starting a new period of placement will have started to be looked after in a previous year.
	4. All numbers over 1,000 have been rounded to the nearest 100; other figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) types and (b) number of prescriptions of medication that have been given to children in care over the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The details of prescriptions given to individual children are contained in confidential health records which do not identify children as being in care. While individual carers will be aware of the type and number of prescriptions given to a child, this information is not available for aggregation.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) percentage and (b) number of children in care in each (i) region and (ii) health authority broken down into (a) mental and (b) physical disability, in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: Information on mental disability of children in care is not held centrally. The other information is not available in the form requested.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) percentage and (b) number of children in care in each (i) region and (ii) health authority (A) had an abortion and (B) gave birth while in care in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not currently collected at national level. One survey of care leavers showed that a quarter had a child by the age of 16. A robust method for collecting data on births among looked-after-children is being developed as part of the national indicator set for monitoring the teenage pregnancy strategy.

Children in Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of stay in (a) foster care and (b) children in care settings has been in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information available is shown in the table.
	
		Average duration of placements, of looked after children, ceasing during the years ending 31 March 1997 to 2001, by type of placement -- EnglandAverage duration (days)
		
			  Type of placement  
			  Foster placements All placements 
		
		
			 1997 216 210 
			 1998 213 215 
			 1999 231 223 
			 2000 231 228 
			 2001 256 248 
		
	
	Note:
	The table excludes children looked after under a series of short-term placements.

Carers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will develop a fund to help local authorities produce tailored care packages to back up the results of carers' assessments under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000.

Jacqui Smith: The development of carers services is being kept under review as part of the overall development of services for older people.

Fostering

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out for each local authority the average amount paid to a foster family per week for each child fostered in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not available centrally.

Cardiac Surgeons

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many cardiac interventionists there were in the UK who are able to perform percutaneous coronary interventions using stints; and how many vacancies exist for (a) one month, (b) one to three months and (c) three months or longer;
	(2)  how many cardiac surgeons there are in the UK who are able to perform open heart surgery; and how many vacancies have existed for (a) one month, (b) one to three months and (c) three months or longer.

John Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	As at September 2001, the number of cardio-thoracic surgeons in England was 204. We are unable to ascertain how many of these surgeons perform percutaneous coronary interventions using stents or open heart surgery.
	The three month vacancy rate for cardio-thoracic surgery is shown in the table.
	
		Department of Health Vacancies Survey March 2001 -- Vacancies in England for consultants in the specialty—cardio thoracic surgery
		
			  England 
		
		
			 Three month vacancy rates (%) 1.6 
			 Three month vacancies (wte) 0 
			 Staff in post  
			 (wte) 180 
			 (hc) 200 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Three month vacancies are vacancies as at 31 March 2001 which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole time equivalents).
	2. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post from the September 2000 medical and dental work force census (whole time equivalent).
	3. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest 10, 0 being between 0–5.
	4. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.
	5. Due to rounding calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates.
	Source:
	Department of Health Vacancy Survey 2001
	Department of Health medical and dental work force Census 2000

Music Therapy

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support his Department gives for the use of music therapy to assist people with disabilities.

Jacqui Smith: The Department is happy to fund voluntary organisations who have an interest in the use of music therapy to assist disabled people. For instance, the Musicspace Trust received a two-year section 64 project grant in 1999–2000 to 2000–01.
	In addition to this, the national health service and councils with social services responsibilities provide a wide range of services for disabled adults and children, and these can include, for example, music or art activities in day centres, but we do not keep detailed central records about these activities.

National Care Standards Commission

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health why the National Care Standards Commission has not dealt with requests made by Ravenscroft Nursing Home, Yelverton for dual registration.

Jacqui Smith: The National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) took over responsibility for the regulation of all care homes in England on 1 April 2002, including care homes not previously required to register.
	In the case of Ravenscroft Nursing Home, I understand that the current provider is already registered with the NCSC and that a Mr. and Mrs. O'Carroll are applying for registration with the NCSC in order to take over the care home. I understand that there has been some delay in processing the application due to a number of factors. Partly because the original application was submitted on out-of-date registration forms and had to be resubmitted, and, regrettably, because the NCSC mislaid the revised application in the 11,000 received at that time. However, the documentation has now been received and is satisfactory. Mr. and Mrs. O'Carroll's interview with the NCSC has been arranged for 17 June and, once Criminal Records Bureau checks have been received, a final decision will be made about registration.

Adoptions (Macedonia)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been adopted from Macedonia in the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not collect figures on the total number of children being brought from overseas for adoption each year. Figures are only held for those adoptions involving a home study assessment in the UK.
	Department records indicate that only one adoption application for Macedonia has been processed in the last 10 years.

Adoptions (Macedonia)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the procedures involved in adopting children from Macedonia.

Jacqui Smith: The procedures for adopting a child from Macedonia are broadly the same as for adopting a child from any overseas country. Before any person may adopt a child they must first be assessed by an approved adoption agency as being suitable to adopt. As part of the approval process a home study report is prepared and presented to an adoption panel for approval. Following this, the report is then endorsed by the agency's decision maker and forwarded to the Department where a certificate of eligibility to adopt is prepared in line with the Adoption of Children from Overseas Regulations 2001.
	In the case of an application to adopt a Macedonian child, the completed home study and the certificate of eligibility to adopt are sent to the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy in Macedonia. The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy will then seek to identify a suitable child for the applicants. If a match is made, the applicants may then make arrangements to travel overseas and adopt the child. The applicants will then apply for entry clearance, in the normal way, to enable them to bring the child into the UK for the purposes of adoption.
	On their return to the UK the applicants must notify their local social services department of their intention to adopt with 14 days. As Macedonia is not included on the list of countries whose adoption orders are recognised in the UK, an application will need to be made to a UK court to re-adopt the child.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the old age psychiatry services for the Stockport NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

John Hutton: The Stockport National Health Service Trust business case justifying the individual schemes estimated the annual net savings in present value terms (for example all future costs and benefits discounted to their present values) compared with publicly funding the scheme as follows:
	
		Net present costs of public sector comparator (PSC) v. PFI option
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 Private finance initiative 3,350 
			 Public 3,379 
			 Annual savings in net present value terms 29 
			  Percentage difference—0.9

Correspondence

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden dated 19 February concerning cancelled operations in Hull and the East Riding.

John Hutton: A reply was sent on 11 June.

Wanless Report

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to expand medical and nursing schools as a result of the Wanless report; what estimate he has made of how many extra doctors and nurses will be registered to be trained as a result of the report; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The report 'Securing our Future Health: Taking a Long-Term View' (the Wanless report) does not make any recommendations on increasing the number of students entering medical or nurse training. The Government and higher education institutions are midway through the process of delivering the increased numbers of students entering medical and nursing training that were announced in 1998 and the NHS Plan. By 2004 the number of students entering nurse training will be 5,500 a year more than in 1999 and by 2005 the number of students entering medical school will be almost 2,150 a year more than in 1997.
	Following the spending review settlement announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget, work force plans will be finalised once the public service agreement targets are agreed in summer 2002.

Smallpox Vaccine

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which companies were approached with regard to the supply of smallpox vaccines; and what information was included in the specification sent to these companies.

John Hutton: Detailed confidential discussions were held with five major pharmaceutical companies who were known to have vaccine manufacturing capability either in the UK or in Europe. The companies approached were Acambis, Aventis Pasteur, Glaxo Smith Kline, RIVM and PowderJect. Our requirements for vaccine strain, timing and delivery and the need to meet current vaccine manufacturing guidelines were made clear to each of the companies and confirmed in writing. Each of the companies was then given time to submit their responses.

Mental Health

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many elderly patients have received community-based psychiatric provision in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The number of first contacts with patients aged 65 and over by community psychiatric nurses is set out in the table.
	
		Community psychiatric nurses—number of first contacts with patients aged 65 and over, 1996–97 to 2000–01 -- Thousand
		
			  Number of persons 
		
		
			 1996–97 146 
			 1997–98 152 
			 1998–99 162 
			 1999–2000 158 
			 2000–01 154 
		
	
	Further information about patient contacts with community psychiatric nurses is contained in the statistical report "Patient care in the community, Community Psychiatric Nursing, summary information for 2000–01, England". A copy of the summary is in the Library and also available on the Department website at www.doh.gov.uk/ public/kc570001.
	Older people also receive other community-based psychiatric services, either as well as or separately from services from community psychiatric nurses, but information is not available on the numbers receiving other services.

Mental Health

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding is being made available to organizations in the voluntary sector working to promote employment of people with mental health problems as set out in the National Service Framework for Mental Health.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 17 June 2002
	Over the period 1998–99 to 2003–04 the Department has awarded funding of £627,428 through the Section 64 general scheme of grants to the following mental health voluntary organisations to support national projects that are designed to help improve employment opportunities for people with mental health problems.
	
		£ 
		
			 Name of voluntary organisation  Name of project  Amount 
		
		
			 SIGN "Education and employment training for deaf people with mental health problems" 99,000 
			
			 Turning Point "Starting point: Routes to work for people with mental health problems" 286,428 
			
			 Working Well Trust "On Line"—Professional IT training and support for people who have mental health problems, including help with job search and vocational advice 92,000 
			
			 Southside Partnership "Mentally disordered offenders prison discharge support"—Includes help for mentally disordered offenders to find employment 150,000 
			   
			 Total  627,428

Primary Care Premises

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  on how many of the GP premises due to be modernised work will have been (a) started and (b) completed by 1 April; and what financial resources will be needed to complete this work by March 2004;
	(2)  how many of the new one-stop primary care centres will have been (a) started and (b) completed by 1 April; and what financial resources will be needed to complete this work by March 2004.

John Hutton: Data are collected only on completed premises developments and associated capital spend. As set out in the NHS Plan, up to £1 billion will be invested in the primary care infrastructure to refurbish substantially or replace up to £3,000 general practitioners' (GP) premises and develop 500 one-stop primary care centres. Outturn figures for 31 March 2002 show that 1,098 GP premises were refurbished or replaced, and 70 one-stop primary care centres were in place.

Hospital Beds (Northumberland)

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the bed capacity was of each community and cottage hospital in Northumberland in (a) 1997 and (b) 2001.

Jacqui Smith: Bed capacity data by individual hospital site are not collected.
	Information on the average daily number of available beds for national health service trusts in England is on the Department website www.doh.gov.uk/hospitalativity.

Home Helps

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 February 2002, Official Report, column 616W, what information on home helps is held by his Department; and if he will publish it.

Jacqui Smith: The table gives the number of home helps (excluding home help organisers) employed by councils with social services responsibilities in England as at 30 September in each year between 1992 and 2001. Home helps employed by the private sector are not included, even if doing work contracted by councils.
	
		Home helps employed by councils with social services responsibilities in England as at 30 September, 1992–2001 (whole time equivalents)
		
			  1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Avon 1,275 1,050 1,100 1,075 — — — — — — 
			 Barking and Dagenham 245 220 220 225 210 255 0 245 210 210 
			 Barnet 230 60 220 255 240 170 175 155 120 185 
			 Barnsley 420 390 365 340 (61)— 260 240 225 225 (62)— 
			 Bath and North East Somerset UA — — — — 135 130 125 140 145 130 
			 Bedfordshire (old) 490 415 515 530 445 — — — — — 
			 Bedfordshire (remaining) — — — — — 235 225 200 180 180 
			 Berkshire 590 515 580 505 680 680 — — — — 
			 Bexley 270 290 345 365 350 360 315 340 0 0 
			 Birmingham 1,320 1,450 1,690 1,575 1,475 1,670 1,490 1,435 1,105 1,250 
			 Blackburn with Darwen UA — — — — — — 155 175 120 100 
			 Blackpool UA — — — — — — 195 155 130 100 
			 Bolton 340 325 345 365 350 370 375 380 395 365 
			 Bournemouth UA — — — — — 140 145 140 110 110 
			 Bracknell Forest UA — — — — — — 40 40 40 30 
			 Bradford 695 715 725 665 625 590 600 655 540 475 
			 Brent 110 315 310 275 250 250 570 0 0 0 
			 Brighton and Hove UA — — — — — 200 145 170 165 105 
			 Bristol UA — — — — 465 460 535 555 555 570 
			 Bromley 245 250 275 295 350 330 215 200 175 160 
			 Buckinghamshire (old) 530 565 790 810 925 — — — — — 
			 Buckinghamshire (remaining) — — — — — 565 520 540 410 355 
			 Bury 210 210 210 205 210 200 265 185 205 200 
			 Calderdale 390 305 305 320 310 335 290 245 240 225 
			 Cambridgeshire (old) 470 515 515 550 415 430 — — — — 
			 Cambridgeshire (remaining) — — — — — — 460 380 200 215 
			 Camden 275 270 210 190 170 170 180 165 105 85 
			 Cheshire (old) 865 815 775 750 625 585 — — — — 
			 Cheshire (remaining) — — — — — — 480 515 525 535 
			 City of London 15 15 20 25 20 20 20 20 20 15 
			 Cleveland 730 720 875 660 — — — — — — 
			 Cornwall 480 450 465 380 390 340 0 0 0 15 
			 Coventry 360 240 345 315 315 270 260 200 180 170 
			 Croydon 245 245 300 210 210 190 190 175 165 140 
			 Cumbria 500 505 545 0 410 415 440 445 605 715 
			 Darlington UA — — — — — 75 70 65 30 30 
			 Derby UA — — — — — 325 300 295 295 280 
			 Derbyshire (old) 1,405 1,135 1,130 1,090 0 — — — — — 
			 Derbyshire (remaining) — — — — — 930 930 945 930 900 
			 Devon (old) 920 945 955 955 835 800 — — — — 
			 Devon (remaining) — — — — — — 505 425 395 440 
			 Doncaster 465 510 545 515 510 505 370 385 335 250 
			 Dorset (old) 535 515 605 580 610 — — — — — 
			 Dorset (remaining) — — — — — 265 220 260 255 215 
			 Dudley 310 285 300 310 245 240 270 210 270 280 
			 Durham (old) 945 860 920 725 740 — — — — — 
			 Durham (remaining) — — — — — 600 600 500 510 365 
			 Ealing 225 250 260 250 200 130 75 110 110 100 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire UA — — — — 400 250 190 125 110 80 
			 East Sussex (old) 630 625 630 565 560 — — — — — 
			 East Sussex (remaining) — — — — — 275 260 265 265 250 
			 Enfield 310 210 215 200 195 180 165 165 145 130 
			 Essex (old) 1,405 655 525 555 1,480 1,150 — — — — 
			 Essex (remaining) — — — — — — 815 620 590 635 
			 Gateshead 340 335 415 415 390 350 405 485 360 365 
			 Gloucestershire 495 500 550 545 415 300 295 295 305 295 
			 Greenwich 290 285 260 260 220 235 190 170 170 160 
			 Hackney 380 340 310 320 265 240 220 205 165 140 
			 Halton UA — — — — — — 65 65 80 80 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 260 310 305 280 255 140 225 140 120 115 
			 Hampshire (old) 955 990 1,010 875 855 — — — — — 
			 Hampshire (remaining) — — — — — 620 480 525 475 350 
			 Haringey 255 195 195 0 45 215 145 165 100 120 
			 Harrow 240 215 230 235 235 220 245 195 200 170 
			 Hartlepool UA — — — — 0 115 115 100 85 50 
			 Havering 255 290 265 320 155 150 135 125 105 95 
			 Hereford and Worcester 655 670 630 520 405 365 — — — — 
			 Herefordshire UA — — — — — — 85 150 90 85 
			 Hertfordshire 820 730 585 745 565 445 445 375 0 0 
			 Hillingdon 285 320 320 285 0 275 210 160 175 330 
			 Hounslow 225 140 160 150 125 105 100 95 90 85 
			 Humberside 1,200 1,445 1,150 1,220 — — — — — — 
			 Isle of Wight UA 150 0 80 80 120 65 165 150 150 145 
			 Isles of Scilly (61)— (61)— (61)— (61)— (61)— 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Islington 250 235 235 425 330 330 0 155 135 80 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 145 160 135 145 165 135 120 85 95 90 
			 Kent (old) 660 140 125 105 85 (61)— — — — — 
			 Kent (remaining) — — — — — — 5 180 160 135 
			 Kingston upon Hull UA — — — — 405 215 175 165 155 155 
			 Kingston upon Thames 95 90 80 80 70 70 50 0 65 65 
			 Kirklees 545 480 545 170 285 295 270 255 425 445 
			 Knowsley 90 95 95 120 0 0 60 120 110 115 
			 Lambeth 450 375 150 340 340 235 160 105 0 95 
			 Lancashire (old) 1,635 1,665 1,905 1,685 1,540 1,565 — — — — 
			 Lancashire (remaining) — — — — — — 795 0 0 10 
			 Leeds 1,600 1,450 1,535 1,520 1,480 1,450 1,415 1,475 1,420 1,390 
			 Leicester UA — — — — — 255 215 185 155 140 
			 Leicestershire (old) 690 815 890 710 700 — — — — — 
			 Leicestershire (remaining) — — — — — 395 310 335 425 275 
			 Lewisham 370 345 350 325 295 290 225 225 220 210 
			 Lincolnshire 525 520 550 550 625 555 485 200 255 160 
			 Liverpool 845 840 900 1,040 955 900 865 865 780 690 
			 Luton UA — — — — — 120 115 100 125 135 
			 Manchester 700 735 720 660 650 585 540 515 455 415 
			 Medway Towns UA — — — — — — 45 55 35 25 
			 Merton 215 205 210 205 190 170 170 155 140 0 
			 Middlesbrough UA — — — — 185 155 140 135 110 110 
			 Milton Keynes UA — — — — — 235 230 200 190 135 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 515 435 425 415 470 395 440 465 470 420 
			 Newham 385 335 270 190 215 230 245 205 35 100 
			 Norfolk 985 1,025 1,190 1,095 1,130 1,075 1,010 975 910 880 
			 North East Lincolnshire UA — — — — 255 250 185 190 130 95 
			 North Lincolnshire UA — — — — 150 110 100 105 95 100 
			 North Somerset UA — — — — 165 165 155 145 150 165 
			 North Tyneside 360 360 360 350 345 310 325 345 345 335 
			 North Yorkshire (old) 795 740 750 790 — — — — — — 
			 North Yorkshire (remaining) — — — — 625 525 515 560 535 535 
			 Northamptonshire 375 375 385 385 225 220 165 50 165 125 
			 Northumberland 485 525 610 570 445 475 335 320 405 430 
			 Nottingham UA — — — — — — 240 320 315 260 
			 Nottinghamshire (old) 1,200 1,245 1,280 1,150 1,245 1,010 — — — — 
			 Nottinghamshire (remaining) — — — — — — 745 610 550 540 
			 Oldham 355 310 320 280 295 310 275 265 250 235 
			 Oxfordshire 525 545 505 485 555 430 460 475 475 415 
			 Peterborough UA — — — — — — 5 65 30 40 
			 Plymouth UA — — — — — — 220 225 145 120 
			 Poole UA — — — — — 110 100 85 80 85 
			 Portsmouth UA — — — — — 125 120 115 105 95 
			 Reading UA — — — — — — 95 90 80 70 
			 Redbridge 225 (61)— 165 155 195 180 145 135 110 105 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA — — — — 180 220 195 180 (61)— 145 
			 Richmond upon Thames 185 235 195 200 185 185 0 145 150 130 
			 Rochdale 440 440 375 400 390 310 330 305 145 280 
			 Rotherham 375 375 345 335 310 295 295 305 295 280 
			 Rutland UA — — — — — 30 25 25 15 15 
			 Salford 375 505 510 505 520 485 495 505 330 300 
			 Sandwell 420 410 430 365 450 440 350 320 335 165 
			 Sefton 340 355 315 290 260 240 240 230 195 160 
			 Sheffield 1,505 735 700 700 970 805 810 800 750 735 
			 Shropshire (old) 265 245 235 235 200 180 — — — — 
			 Shropshire (remaining) — — — — — — 100 105 90 95 
			 Slough UA — — — — — — 140 100 105 75 
			 Solihull 185 190 200 185 185 170 140 130 120 105 
			 Somerset 0 0 0 0 0 425 435 260 210 220 
			 South Gloucestershire UA — — — — 170 160 165 160 145 125 
			 South Tyneside 230 235 235 240 230 225 180 190 230 215 
			 Southampton UA — — — — — 140 135 180 110 110 
			 Southend UA — — — — — — 135 150 120 100 
			 Southwark 285 265 265 280 265 230 210 180 150 0 
			 St. Helens 340 340 305 310 285 335 315 365 265 260 
			 Staffordshire (old) 1,400 1,415 1,485 1,355 1,295 — — — — — 
			 Staffordshire (remaining) — — — — — 760 665 650 710 625 
			 Stockport 370 350 280 365 360 310 295 280 280 245 
			 Stockton on Tees UA — — — — 155 210 165 165 140 125 
			 Stoke-on-Trent UA — — — — — 245 240 225 205 205 
			 Suffolk 555 655 705 625 600 540 555 620 385 400 
			 Sunderland 480 480 515 455 475 585 715 540 345 410 
			 Surrey 455 450 395 490 435 405 360 355 325 310 
			 Sutton 210 165 170 170 155 155 145 120 115 95 
			 Swindon UA — — — — — 105 90 0 10 35 
			 Tameside 390 350 365 310 290 260 225 215 205 125 
			 Telford and Wrekin UA — — — — — — 65 45 40 35 
			 Thurrock UA — — — — — — 95 105 50 50 
			 Torbay UA — — — — — — 75 75 90 110 
			 Tower Hamlets 165 165 160 160 225 165 145 145 150 140 
			 Trafford 305 330 330 345 330 330 320 305 315 295 
			 Wakefield 445 360 430 450 450 470 455 410 425 360 
			 Walsall 245 240 235 230 210 215 205 215 195 185 
			 Waltham Forest 445 335 360 355 325 285 285 235 225 215 
			 Wandsworth 440 445 410 335 325 275 245 215 205 185 
			 Warrington UA — — — — — — 95 90 75 65 
			 Warwickshire 465 445 415 365 370 405 365 330 330 480 
			 West Berkshire UA — — — — — — 150 150 120 40 
			 West Sussex 750 775 870 865 815 815 795 540 595 485 
			 Westminster 305 325 305 330 300 0 285 290 295 (62)— 
			 Wigan 405 440 400 390 365 290 295 285 300 285 
			 Wiltshire (old) 330 265 460 420 440 — — — — — 
			 Wiltshire (remaining) — — — — — 470 235 220 0 (62)— 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead UA — — — — — — 80 85 80 45 
			 Wirral 500 515 615 550 580 500 435 410 325 290 
			 Wokingham UA — — — — — — 65 75 25 40 
			 Wolverhampton 390 275 375 385 420 375 340 230 235 30 
			 Worcestershire — — — — — — 255 265 300 265 
			 York UA — — — — 210 210 200 150 135 120 
			
			 England 54,255 50,745 52,685 49,810 47,750 46,315 42,885 39,775 35,630 33,020 
		
	
	(61) Not available
	(62) Five or less
	Note:
	Due to local government reorganisation, not all authorities were in existence for the whole period covered by the table
	Source:
	Department of Health annual return SSDS001

Overseas Recruitment

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual (a) salary and (b) support costs are of his Department's director of international recruitment for health services.

John Hutton: holding answer 21 May 2002
	The director of international recruitment was on detachment from her post as executive nurse director at Hammersmith Hospitals National Health Service Trust. This secondment finished on 30 April 2002. The trust publishes salary details of its senior staff in its annual report. A budget of £154,000 was secured for 2001–02 to fund salaries, travel and support costs to the director.

Epilepsy

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps the Government are taking to ensure that epilepsy deaths and SUDEP are reduced as far as possible;
	(2)  if he will undertake a national confidential inquiry into sudden epilepsy deaths in order to obtain data on this condition; and if he will make a statement on the quantity of data he has collated on SUDEP.

Jacqui Smith: The Department recently welcomed the national sentinel audit of epilepsy-related death. The Government-funded project reviewed the official records of people who died from an epilepsy-related death in the UK between September 1999 and August 2000. During that period, 2,412 deaths were reported where epilepsy was mentioned on the death certificate.
	The audit looked at investigations into epilepsy deaths, care provided prior to death and contact with bereaved families. The audit makes recommendations for improving epilepsy services. The Department has given a commitment to consider these and develop an action plan by September 2002 to try to reduce the number of epilepsy-related deaths.

Epilepsy

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government are doing to address the deficiencies they have identified in the care and management of people with epilepsy.

Jacqui Smith: The Government are undertaking a range of initiatives to improve services for the care and management of people with epilepsy. For example, we have:
	Provided funding to the Joint Epilepsy Council (JEC) to develop a 'National Statement of Good Practice for the Treatment and Care of People who have Epilepsy', which was published in May 2002. The statement makes a series of recommendations for good quality epilepsy services. It is intended to facilitate commissioning and will be of use to national health service purchasers, providers and service users.
	Provided funding for the national sentinel audit of epilepsy- related death, which was published in May 2002. The chief medical officer has given a commitment to develop an action plan to reduce the level preventable deaths from epilepsy within three months of publication.
	Asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop a clinical guideline (due in summer 2004) for the diagnosis, management and treatment of epilepsy to help address widespread variations in clinical practice and contribute to the improvement of services. This will be supported by a technology appraisal (due autumn 2003) of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new anti-epileptic drugs in children and adults, to help promote appropriate uptake and equitable access.
	Announced that the national service framework for long-term conditions (NSF) is expected to develop standards of care for specific neurological conditions, including epilepsy. The NSF is expected to be published in 2004. Implementation is expected to start from 2005.
	Developed the expert patients programme, which aims to provide training in self-management skills for people with long-term chronic conditions. The first pilot phase will include people with epilepsy.
	Provided funding to the National Society for Epilepsy for its 'Living Well' project. The project aims to promote independent living by providing locally based short-term courses for people with epilepsy to develop self-help and self-management techniques.

Epilepsy

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to improve the (a) monitoring and (b) prevention of sudden deaths owing to epilepsy.

Jacqui Smith: The Department has recently welcomed the publication of the Government-funded 'National Sentinel Audit of Epilepsy-Related Death'. The audit looked at investigations into epilepsy deaths, care provided prior to death and contact with bereaved families. The Department has given a commitment to consider the recommendations of the audit and develop an action plan by September 2002 to try to improve epilepsy services and reduce the number of preventable deaths from epilepsy.
	The Department is also undertaking a range of initiatives to improve services for the care and management of people with epilepsy. For example, we have:
	Provided funding to the Joint Epilepsy Council (JEC) to develop a 'National Statement of Good Practice for the Treatment and Care of People who have Epilepsy', which was published in May 2002. The statement makes a series of recommendations for good quality epilepsy services. It is intended to facilitate commissioning and will be of use to national health service purchasers, providers and service users.
	Asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop a clinical guideline (due in summer 2004) for the diagnosis, management and treatment of epilepsy to help address widespread variations in clinical practice and contribute to the improvement of services. This will be supported by a technology appraisal (due autumn 2003) of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new anti-epileptic drugs in children and adults, to help promote appropriate uptake and equitable access.
	Announced that the national service framework for long-term conditions (NSF) is expected to develop standards of care for specific neurological conditions, including epilepsy. The NSF is expected to be published in 2004. Implementation is expected to start from 2005.
	Developed the expert patients programme, which aims to provide training in self-management skills for people with long-term chronic conditions. The first pilot phase will include people with epilepsy.
	Provided funding to the National Society for Epilepsy for its 'Living Well' project. The project aims to promote independent living by providing locally based short-term courses for people with epilepsy to develop self-help and self-management techniques.

Newborn Hearing Screening

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) of 20 July 2001, Official Report, column 738, on neonatal screening, when his Department will make an announcement setting out a timetable for the national implementation of universal newborn hearing screening.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 10 June 2002
	The newborn hearing screening pilot was the first phase of a national roll-out of the service. The pilot phase has provided important information, about the impact on audiology and other support services, and has provided the data which will enable us to plan a national roll-out to a sensible, feasible time scale ending with full implementation by the end of 2004–05.

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what 
	(1)  representations the Department has received following the announcement that continence pads would be provided free of charge to all care home residents from October 2001; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what proportion of the amount made available for NHS continence services for 2003–04 will be earmarked for (a) continence adviser recruitment, (b) continence adviser training, (c) continence pads and (d) other continence products and services;
	(3)  whether an equivalent amount to the money made available in the period April 2002 to April 2003 for NHS continence services for self-funding residents will be made available for non self-funding residents post April 2003; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what factors were taken into consideration when deciding to allocate the initial £6 million for NHS continence care in the period October 2001 to April 2002 to all care home residents;

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds will be made available for NHS continence services in the period (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not available as specific budgets of health authorities and primary care trusts for continence services are not determined centrally. They receive unified allocations to cover the costs of hospital and community health services, discretionary funding for general practice staff, premises and computers and primary care prescribing.
	The level of funding made available for continence provision is therefore a local decision. It is for health authorities in partnership with primary care groups/trusts and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services
	The details of a transfer of resources from local authorities to cover nursing care/continence from 2003–04 will be the subject of a separate consultation over the summer.
	No representations were received about continence payments for self funders.
	The £6 million figure was arrived at on the basis that approximately two thirds of the population receiving nursing care in care homes (over 40,000) are incontinent and this figure represents an average cost to the national health service of providing continence services to them.

Care Homes

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what Government funding has been made available in the last 12 months to promote management of continence by (a) constituency and (b) region.

Jacqui Smith: Information requested relating to funding by constituency and region is not available centrally. Specific budgets of health authorities and primary care trusts for continence services are not determined centrally. They receive unified allocations to cover the costs of hospital and community health services, discretionary funding for general practice staff, premises and computers and primary care prescribing.
	£6 million of the £100 million allocated to national health service funded nursing care from 1 October 2001 was for the continence needs of self-funders who had previously had to pay nursing homes for continence services. £12 million will be available to the NHS for this year's 2002–03 full year costs for this group.

Care Homes

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the staffing establishment is at the National Care Standards Commission; what the annual costs are of running it; how many nursing and residential homes were inspected by the NCSC in April and May; and if he will make a statement as to the reasons for delays in dealing with applications;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the application form for nursing and residential homes to be registered; and if he will explain what the procedure for registration is;
	(3)  what the estimated time is for the National Care Standards Commission to send out application forms for (a) residential and (b) nursing homes to register, if they are sent first or second class; how long on average it has taken to inspect (i) nursing and (ii) residential homes which have applied for registration; who carries out the inspection; what the criteria for inspection are; and how the criteria differ from the local inspection previously carried out by local authorities;
	(4)  if he will make a statement as to why the costs for registration and inspection of nursing and residential homes have risen since 1 April.

Jacqui Smith: The National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) took over responsibility for the regulation of all care homes in England on 1 April 2002, including care homes not previously required to register. The NCSC is responsible for regulating care homes in accordance with national minimum standards to ensure consistency and improve the quality of life and level of protection for the most vulnerable people in society.
	The NCSC is currently dealing with a heavy load of applications under the new arrangements and there is some delay in dealing with some applications. The NCSC is taking steps to deal with this and expects the average time for processing applications to reduce as the number of applications comes down to more normal levels.
	The NCSC's staffing establishment is 2,352 of which 1,874 staff are currently in post. As this is the NCSC's first year of operation, we have no historical data as yet on actual running costs of the NCSC. However, the NCSC is planning its work for 2002–03 on the basis of a budget of £131 million revenue and £1.5 million capital. The NCSC's programme of inspections was not expected to get fully under way before June 2002 due to factors such as completing office accommodation moves and information technology set-ups, transferring staff, finalising inspector training and giving due notice to providers of the inspections. Nevertheless, from the information currently available, 66 inspections were carried out in April and 612 in May. 2,034 inspections are planned for June.
	Application forms for registration are usually sent out by first class post. Information is not available on the times taken to send out packs containing application forms. Requests for packs are responded to within two working days where possible, although some delays have occurred due to a higher than planned volume of demand requiring forms to be reprinted. Information is currently not available on the times taken to inspect nursing and residential homes which have applied for registration, but this will become available later this year.
	Details of registration procedures and application forms for nursing and residential care homes are available on the NCSC's website www.carestandards.org.uk
	Regulatory fees for care homes increased on 1 April this year. This is the first increase in fees since 1 May 1998. The increase reflects the effects of inflation on the value of fees but also our longer-term aim of moving to full cost recovery. Despite this increase, care homes currently only pay 31 per cent. of the actual cost of registration and inspection. We recognise that fees are not the only extra cost of the new regulatory system to care homes. We are increasing total resources available for social services by an average of six per cent. a year in real terms over the next three years (2003–04 to 2005–06). These increases follow average annual real terms increases of more than three per cent. between 1996–97 and 2002–03 including a 3.6 per cent. real terms increase this year (2002–03). These substantial increases in resources, in particular over the next three years, will enable local authorities to deliver the improvements to social services to which the Government are committed. It also means that local authorities have the resources they need to purchase services at realistic prices.
	Under the previous regulatory system, care homes were inspected by around 250 local authorities and health authorities each applying its own, sometimes contradictory, local conditions for registration. This system had been criticised over several years for lacking independence, consistency and coherence. The NCSC will, by contrast, inspect care homes using national standards. Due to the large number of different standards set under the previous regulatory system, I cannot say in detail how national standards may differ from them. This will vary from area to area. However, national standards were widely consulted on and the finalised standards were set at a level already being met or exceeded by many providers and which others should be able to meet over time.

National Service Framework for Long-term Health Conditions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if neurology will be included in the remit of the national service framework for long-term health conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The Department has recently confirmed that the national service framework for long-term health conditions will focus on developing standards of care for specific neurological conditions and some of the generic issues relevant to people with a long-term condition.

Care Budgets

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projections he has made of numbers of (a) long-term care beds, (b) nursing and residential beds and (c) acute care beds; what implications this will have for funding arrangements for care budgets (i) in general and (ii) with respect to continence care; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on 16 May 2002, Official Report, column 871W. The projections published by the Personal Social Service Research Unit also include projections of long-stay beds in hospital. Projections of general and acute beds are contained in "Delivering the NHS Plan", copies of which are available in the Library.
	In planning expenditure on long-term care, we need to take into account a number of other factors beyond the numbers of beds. People generally prefer to be supported in their own homes and so we are developing services which promote greater independence. As announced in the Budget, we are increasing the resources for personal social services by six per cent. in real terms in each of the next three years. This will ensure that councils have the resources that they need to purchase good quality services for the people that they serve. The organisation and provision of continence services, and the manner in which they are delivered, is a matter for primary care trusts and NHS trusts. They are under an obligation to provide these services where the need exists, in light of resources and local priorities.

Epsom Hospital

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what conditions as to future usage were applied to the handover of the Epsom hospital cluster sites to the NHS; and whether covenants remain which require areas of the sites to be used for specific purposes.

Jacqui Smith: No conditions were attached to the future usage of land in the Epsom cluster not do any covenants apply.

Hospital Discharges

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May), of 15 May 2002,, Official Report, column 735W, on hospital discharges, 
	(1)  if he will set out the target number of the maximum number of beds blocked following the 20 per cent. reduction of bed blockers as proposed in, Delivering the NHS Plan, paragraph 8.10;
	(2)  how many people had their discharge delayed in March, broken down by (a) reason, (b) health authority and (c) length of delay.

Jacqui Smith: holding answers 12 June 2002
	All information, collected centrally, on delayed discharge in March 2002, quarter 4 of 2001–02, has been placed in the Library. The NHS Plan target is to reduce the number of delayed discharges from hospitals by 20 per cent. between March 2002 and March 2003.

Malignant Neoplasms

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the five most common malignant neoplasms for NHS patients; and how many deaths were incurred as a result of each for (a) men and (b) women in 2001.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Bob Spink, dated 17 June 2002
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the five most common malignant neoplasms for NHS patients; and the number of deaths incurred as a result of each for (a) men and (b) women in 2001. (61855)
	The information that is available on new cases of cancer relates to all those registered in England in each year. It is likely that the vast majority of these will have had some contact with the NHS during their treatment, but it is not possible to state which were NHS patients. The most recently available information is for cases diagnosed in 1998 and for deaths occurring in 2000. Figures for all new cases of the five most common cancers and all deaths from these cancers are given in the table.
	
		Number of new cases(63) of the five most common cancers, England,(64) 1998; and a number of deaths(65) from these cancers, England,(64) 2000(66)
		
			  Men  Women  
			 5 most common cancers Number of new cases in 1998 Number of deaths in 2000 5 most common cancers Number of new cases in 1998 Number of deaths in 2000 
		
		
			 Bronchus and lung 19,487 16,875 Breast 32,908 10,609 
			 Prostate 19,335 7,785 Colon and rectum 13,459 6,278 
			 Colon and rectum 14,927 6,945 Bronchus and lung 11,789 10,338 
			 Bladder 7,529 2,727 Ovary 5,529 3,653 
			 Stomach 5,209 3,356 Corpus uteri and uterus, part unspecified 4,407 1,243 
		
	
	(63) defined using the following codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10):
	Stomach—C16
	Colon and rectum—C18-C21
	Bronchus and lung—C34
	Breast—C50
	Corpus uteri and uterus, part unspecified—C54-C55
	Ovary—C56
	Prostate—C61
	Bladder—C67
	(64) data are for residents of England.
	(65) defined using the following codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9):
	Stomach—151
	Colon and rectum—153–154
	Bronchus and lung—162.2–162.9
	Breast—174
	Corpus uteri and uterus, part unspecified—179, 182
	Ovary—183.0
	Prostate—185
	Bladder—188
	(66) data are for cases diagnosed and deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Laboratory and Generic Research

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the reduction of cost weights for laboratory and generic research.

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England has reviewed the annual data from higher education institutions on the relative costs of research in different subjects and, in the light of that, has reduced the weight attached to the most expensive subjects in calculating research funding in 2002–03.

False Memory Syndrome

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been conducted by his Department into false memory syndrome since 1997; who undertook the research; and when the papers were published.

Hazel Blears: The Department has not directly commissioned any recent research into false memory syndrome. The Department provides national health service (NHS) research and development (R&D) funding to meet the NHS costs of hosting R&D supported by funders such as the research councils and charities. Details of ongoing and recently completed research projects funded by or of interest to the NHS are available on the National Research Register at www.doh.gov.uk/ research/nrr.htm.

General Practitioners

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many whole-time equivalent general practitioners, excluding GP retrainees and GP registrars, per 100,000 population there were in each health authority in each of the last six years;
	(2)  what the average percentage annual increase of whole-time equivalent general practitioners was, excluding GP retrainees and GP registrars, in each health authority in each year since 1996.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		NHS Plan GPs(67) per 100,000 population, by 2001 health authorities as at 1 October 1996–99 and 30 September 2000–01 -- Estimated whole time equivalents(68)
		
			 Region/HA name HA code 1996(69) 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorkshire
			 Bradford HA QDD 54.6 55.4 56.2 57.2 56.2 58.9 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees HA QDT 50.0 49.6 49.2 50.1 49.6 50.7 
			 County Durham Health Commission QDE 50.1 50.7 50.6 51.2 51.7 54.2 
			 East Riding HA QDF 51.1 50.6 50.4 50.6 50.3 50.9 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside HA QDG 51.7 51.3 51.6 53.0 53.1 54.1 
			 Leeds Healthcare QDH 54.3 54.1 54.3 55.1 54.8 55.4 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside HA QDJ 55.6 55.8 55.0 55.3 55.7 56.5 
			 North Cumbria HA QDK 61.2 60.6 60.0 60.7 60.0 60.7 
			 North Yorkshire HA QDR 58.5 58.3 58.7 58.1 57.8 58.2 
			 Northumberland HA QDM 58.8 58.0 58.0 59.0 58.1 59.9 
			 Sunderland HA QDN 45.7 45.2 45.3 47.1 46.6 50.5 
			 Tees HA QDP 48.9 51.1 50.5 50.3 50.5 52.3 
			 Wakefield Healthcare QDQ 55.0 54.9 54.4 54.7 55.7 57.8 
			 
			 Trent
			 Barnsley HA QCG 48.7 48.2 47.5 49.1 49.0 49.0 
			 Doncaster HA QCK 51.2 50.1 50.4 50.4 50.6 51.8 
			 Leicestershire HA QCL 52.1 52.4 52.3 51.2 50.5 50.7 
			 Lincolnshire HA QCM 53.1 52.7 52.7 53.3 53.3 52.8 
			 North Derbyshire HA QCH 49.6 50.1 51.1 51.7 50.0 49.8 
			 North Nottinghamshire HA QCN 44.2 48.2 49.6 49.4 49.8 49.8 
			 Nottingham HA QCP 50.2 48.6 48.4 50.3 51.4 50.8 
			 Rotherham HA QCQ 45.0 45.4 45.8 45.2 47.0 47.2 
			 Sheffield HA QCR 58.1 58.0 57.4 57.9 57.3 56.5 
			 South Humber HA QDL 50.9 54.6 52.8 54.1 53.4 52.4 
			 Southern Derbyshire HA QCJ 53.4 52.1 52.0 50.0 51.1 52.3 
			 
			 Eastern
			 Bedfordshire HA QA6 51.2 51.6 51.4 51.0 51.0 50.6 
			 Cambridgeshire HA QER 52.9 53.0 52.3 51.3 53.5 52.6 
			 Hertfordshire QEX 53.3 53.9 54.7 54.1 53.1 53.1 
			 Norfolk HA QET 54.9 55.7 55.8 55.9 54.4 55.1 
			 North Essex HA QAX 50.5 51.1 50.2 50.2 49.6 48.3 
			 South Essex HA QAY 46.2 46.2 47.7 47.1 46.6 45.6 
			 Suffolk HA QCF 54.8 54.6 55.3 55.0 54.2 52.9 
			 
			 London
			 Barking and Havering HA QAP 47.4 48.6 48.0 47.6 50.6 47.5 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey HA QEW 56.7 56.1 57.1 55.4 55.8 55.3 
			 Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich HA QEY 49.1 50.5 49.4 50.7 49.8 48.2 
			 Brent and Harrow HA QAR 61.4 62.6 61.4 59.1 58.0 59.5 
			 Camden and Islington HA QAT 61.3 66.4 63.3 63.1 62.6 58.8 
			 Croydon HA QAD 48.4 54.4 51.0 50.4 49.2 46.6 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow HA QAV 56.7 63.5 60.5 57.6 55.9 54.2 
			 East London and the City HA QAW 60.6 63.3 62.9 62.1 62.3 60.7 
			 Hillingdon HA QA2 48.5 48.1 48.9 47.6 47.3 48.1 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster HA QA3 54.8 61.8 57.1 54.4 51.1 49.9 
			 Kingston and Richmond HA QAG 54.5 53.2 52.6 53.9 52.4 50.6 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham HA QAH 54.9 55.7 56.1 57.4 55.9 58.3 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA QAJ 51.0 52.6 51.5 50.8 50.3 51.1 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest HA QA5 48.0 50.4 50.7 49.9 49.6 49.3 
			 
			 South Eastern
			 Berkshire HA QA7 50.6 50.0 51.5 52.5 52.5 52.4 
			 Buckinghamshire HA QA8 53.4 52.8 53.2 53.9 54.2 54.0 
			 East Kent HA QAE 51.3 51.1 51.0 50.7 49.7 49.7 
			 East Surrey HA QAK 51.4 50.7 51.2 50.0 50.0 48.9 
			 East Sussex Brighton and Hove HA QAM 53.2 52.8 52.9 52.2 52.0 51.9 
			 Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire HA QEV 52.5 53.8 54.5 54.3 54.6 53.9 
			 North and Mid Hampshire HA QD1 51.8 51.5 51.3 50.4 49.7 49.1 
			 Northamptonshire HA QCC 50.2 50.1 49.9 47.6 46.4 46.1 
			 Oxfordshire HA QCE 55.5 55.6 55.8 55.9 54.9 54.9 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire HA QD3 56.1 56.2 55.4 55.9 56.0 56.1 
			 West Kent HA QAF 53.6 53.8 53.3 52.9 52.0 51.1 
			 West Surrey HA QAL 52.5 52.2 52.1 50.5 50.6 51.2 
			 West Sussex HA QAN 54.1 53.6 53.4 53.3 53.5 52.8 
			 
			 South Western
			 Avon HA QD8 54.0 54.1 54.6 54.4 53.9 54.2 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA QDV 60.9 60.1 59.9 59.1 58.5 59.2 
			 Dorset HA QDW 58.7 58.9 59.1 59.2 59.1 58.6 
			 Gloucestershire HA QDY 57.5 57.8 58.4 57.3 56.7 56.3 
			 North and East Devon HA QDX 59.9 61.7 60.9 59.9 59.3 59.1 
			 Somerset HA QD5 56.8 56.7 57.1 57.8 58.3 57.2 
			 South and West Devon HA QD6 58.5 58.4 58.7 58.0 58.0 58.8 
			 Wiltshire HA QD7 51.4 50.9 51.7 52.5 52.9 52.3 
			 
			 West Midlands
			 Birmingham HA QD9 55.9 55.0 55.8 56.3 56.1 55.6 
			 Coventry HA QEA 53.4 53.0 53.5 54.8 55.3 55.0 
			 Dudley HA QEC 48.3 49.6 50.1 47.9 47.9 50.1 
			 Herefordshire HA QED 58.5 61.1 62.1 60.0 60.0 59.6 
			 North Staffordshire HA QEH 50.3 48.7 49.5 49.4 48.7 47.7 
			 Sandwell HA QEE 51.5 52.6 52.1 54.5 54.4 54.4 
			 Shropshire HA QEF 54.5 53.6 53.1 54.8 53.3 53.1 
			 Solihull HA QEG 51.8 52.6 51.8 51.3 52.6 51.7 
			 South Staffordshire HA QEJ 45.7 46.1 47.3 48.7 48.9 48.1 
			 Walsall HA QEK 50.4 50.1 49.5 50.1 49.6 48.7 
			 Warwickshire HA QEL 51.8 51.9 51.2 50.5 50.7 51.0 
			 Wolverhampton HA QEM 49.8 51.2 50.4 50.3 52.7 51.6 
			 Worcestershire HA QEN 54.3 54.0 54.5 55.0 53.3 54.1 
			 
			 North West
			 Bury and Rochdale HA QCT 50.9 51.5 52.3 52.8 53.1 51.7 
			 East Lancashire HA QCX 55.2 52.4 53.2 53.3 53.0 52.6 
			 Liverpool HA QC2 52.5 53.9 53.3 53.5 53.4 53.7 
			 Manchester Health QC3 61.8 61.8 59.9 61.9 59.6 59.9 
			 Morecambe Bay HA QC4 51.6 57.3 58.7 57.5 57.4 56.6 
			 North Cheshire HA QCV 49.4 47.1 47.8 49.5 49.7 50.4 
			 North West Lancashire HA QCY 50.9 50.3 51.3 50.7 50.7 51.2 
			 Salford and Trafford HA QC6 51.8 51.7 52.7 52.6 53.4 51.2 
			 Sefton HA QC7 48.9 50.5 50.3 50.8 50.8 51.4 
			 South Cheshire HA QCW 53.9 53.9 53.5 55.1 55.1 54.3 
			 South Lancashire HA QC1 52.8 50.8 51.2 50.9 49.9 50.8 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley HA QC5 51.7 52.4 52.4 52.9 52.1 54.8 
			 Stockport Health QC8 51.0 50.2 50.7 52.6 52.3 53.2 
			 West Pennine HA QC9 46.4 47.4 47.6 47.6 46.6 47.3 
			 Wigan and Bolton HA QDA 49.1 49.3 49.3 48.0 48.8 47.4 
			 Wirral HA QDC 55.9 56.8 57.2 57.3 58.6 57.9 
			   
			 England Total  53.1 53.5 53.5 53.4 53.1 53.0 
		
	
	(67) NHS Plan GPs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, Salaried Doctors (Para. 52 SFA) and PMS Other.
	(68) WTE data have been estimated using the results from the 1992–93GMP Workload Survey. Full-time = 1.00 wte; three quarter time = 0.69 wte, job share = 0.65 wte, half time = 0.60 wte.
	(69) There were 286 LIZ Assistants in the 1996 census, we do not have sufficient details to calculate wte data below a national level. The national total for 1996 has been estimated based onavailable headcount data and a such will not equal the sum of components. Because of this, London data for 1996 and subsequent calculations based on 1996 London data needs to be treated with caution.
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics and ONS Population estimates/projections.
	
		NHS Plan GPs(70) by 2001 health authorities as at 1 October 1996–99 and 30 September 2000–01 -- Estimated whole time equivalents(71)
		
			  1996(72) 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001  
			 Region/HA name GPs % change GPs % change GPs % change GPs % change GPs % change GPs %(73) change 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorkshire 
			 Bradford HA 264 1.4 268 1.4 272 1.9 277 -1.2 273 5.0 287 1.7 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees HA 291 -0.7 289 -0.5 287 2.0 293 -0.3 292 2.4 299 0.6 
			 County Durham Health Commission 305 1.2 309 -0.3 308 1.0 311 0.9 314 4.7 328 1.5 
			 East Riding HA 294 -1.2 291 -0.3 290 0.1 290 -0.6 288 1.5 293 -0.1 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside HA 184 -1.0 183 -0.1 182 2.1 186 -0.3 186 1.5 188 0.4 
			 Leeds Healthcare 395 -0.3 394 0.4 395 1.3 400 -0.5 398 1.3 403 0.4 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside HA 265 -0.3 264 -2.0 259 -0.3 258 0.4 259 1.2 262 -0.2 
			 North Cumbria HA 195 -0.6 193 -0.9 192 0.6 193 -1.3 190 1.2 193 -0.2 
			 North Yorkshire HA 430 0.1 430 1.2 436 -0.3 434 0.3 436 1.3 441 0.5 
			 Northumberland HA 181 -0.8 179 0.2 180 1.9 183 -1.5 180 3.2 186 0.6 
			 Sunderland HA 135 -1.7 132 0.2 133 3.3 137 -1.3 135 7.9 146 1.6 
			 Tees HA 273 4.3 284 -1.1 281 -0.6 279 0.7 281 3.2 290 1.3 
			 Wakefield Healthcare 175 -0.3 174 -0.3 174 0.7 175 2.1 178 3.7 185 1.2 
			  
			 Trent 
			 Barnsley HA 111 -0.8 110 -1.3 108 3.4 112 -0.2 112 0.1 112 0.2 
			 Doncaster HA 150 -2.2 146 0.0 146 -0.1 146 0.5 147 2.1 150 0.1 
			 Leicestershire HA 483 0.9 487 -0.3 486 -1.4 479 -1.0 474 1.0 479 -0.2 
			 Lincolnshire HA 327 -0.3 326 0.6 328 2.1 335 0.9 338 -0.1 338 0.6 
			 North Derbyshire HA 184 0.7 185 2.1 189 1.4 192 -3.1 186 -0.4 185 0.1 
			 North Notinghamshire HA 173 8.7 188 2.6 193 0.3 194 0.8 195 -0.1 195 2.4 
			 Nottingham HA 322 -3.0 312 -0.2 311 3.6 322 2.0 329 -1.0 325 0.2 
			 Rotherham HA 115 0.9 116 0.6 117 -1.6 115 3.7 119 0.4 119 0.8 
			 Sheffield HA 308 -0.2 307 -0.8 305 0.7 307 -1.2 304 -1.4 299 -0.6 
			 South Humber HA 158 6.7 169 -3.7 163 2.4 167 -1.5 164 -2.3 161 0.3 
			 Southern Derbyshire HA 299 -1.7 293 0.5 295 -3.4 285 2.6 292 2.9 301 0.2 
			 Eastern 
			 Bedfordshire HA 281 1.4 285 0.5 286 0.1 287 0.7 289 0.0 288 0.5 
			 Cambridgeshire HA 384 1.6 390 -0.1 390 -4.5 372 5.0 391 -0.6 388 0.2 
			 Hertfordshire 541 2.0 552 2.4 565 -0.2 564 -1.0 558 0.6 561 0.7 
			 Norfolk HA 414 2.2 423 1.0 427 4.3 445 -1.8 437 1.8 445 1.5 
			 North Essex HA 447 1.8 455 -1.1 450 0.9 454 -0.3 453 -2.0 444 -0.2 
			 South Essex HA 324 0.6 326 3.7 338 -0.7 335 -0.6 333 -1.6 328 0.3 
			 Suffolk HA 363 0.3 364 2.0 371 -0.1 371 -0.6 369 -1.8 362 0.0 
			  
			 London 
			 Barking and Havering HA 182 2.5 187 -1.3 184 0.0 184 6.3 196 -6.3 183 0.1 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey HA 452 0.3 454 2.9 467 -1.4 461 1.8 469 0.5 471 0.8 
			 Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich HA 357 3.0 368 -2.0 361 3.4 373 -1.0 369 -2.9 358 0.1 
			 Brent and Harrow HA 281 2.5 288 -1.1 285 -3.5 275 -1.0 272 3.7 282 0.1 
			 Camden and Islington HA 224 8.9 244 -4.4 233 0.9 235 1.6 239 -4.9 227 0.3 
			 Croydon HA 161 13.0 182 -5.5 172 -1.3 170 -1.7 167 -4.4 160 -0.2 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow HA 374 12.9 422 -3.9 406 -2.9 394 -2.0 386 -1.7 380 0.3 
			 East London and the City HA 367 4.5 383 0.6 385 0.8 388 2.0 396 -1.0 392 1.4 
			 Hillingdon HA 120 0.0 120 2.4 123 -1.8 121 0.1 121 3.1 125 0.7 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster HA 199 16.9 233 -4.0 223 0.0 223 -0.5 222 -0.2 222 2.2 
			 Kingston and Richmond HA 175 -0.5 175 0.8 176 5.0 185 -1.6 182 -1.7 179 0.4 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham HA 404 1.6 411 1.9 418 3.5 433 -1.8 425 4.9 446 2.0 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA 319 3.3 329 -1.9 323 -0.3 322 0.0 322 2.3 329 0.7 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest HA 216 5.0 227 1.0 230 -1.7 226 -0.5 224 -0.2 224 0.7 
			  
			 South Eastern 
			 Berkshire HA 400 -0.3 399 3.2 412 2.1 420 0.2 421 0.9 425 1.2 
			 Buckinghamshire HA 359 -0.3 358 1.5 363 2.3 371 1.1 375 0.8 378 1.1 
			 East Kent HA 304 0.6 306 0.2 306 0.8 309 -1.0 306 0.4 307 0.2 
			 East Surrey HA 213 -0.3 212 1.5 215 -0.5 214 0.4 215 -1.6 211 -0.1 
			 East Sussex Brighton and Hove HA 391 0.0 391 1.0 395 -0.3 394 0.3 395 0.6 397 0.3 
			 Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire HA 351 2.8 361 1.6 366 -0.3 365 0.9 368 -0.7 366 0.8 
			 North and Mid Hampshire HA 284 0.1 285 0.4 286 -0.8 283 -1.4 279 -0.3 279 -0.4 
			 Northamptonshire HA 303 0.7 305 0.5 307 -3.8 295 -1.7 291 -0.1 290 -0.9 
			 Oxfordshire HA 335 1.4 339 1.4 344 1.7 350 -0.9 347 1.0 350 0.9 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire HA 301 0.6 303 -1.0 300 1.7 305 0.7 307 0.7 310 0.5 
			 West Kent HA 517 0.6 520 -0.3 519 -0.3 517 -1.0 512 -1.5 504 -0.5 
			 West Surrey HA 333 0.3 334 0.1 334 -1.6 329 0.3 330 1.8 336 0.2 
			 West Sussex HA 399 0.3 400 0.5 402 1.0 406 0.7 408 -0.4 407 0.4 
			  
			 South Western 
			 Avon HA 532 0.9 537 1.7 545 0.6 549 -0.3 547 1.0 556 0.8 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA 294 -0.3 293 0.2 294 -0.5 292 0.0 292 1.8 298 0.2 
			 Dorset HA 400 1.2 405 0.8 408 0.4 410 0.7 413 0.0 413 0.6 
			 Gloucestershire HA 320 1.0 323 0.7 325 -0.9 322 -0.5 321 -0.3 320 0.0 
			 North and East Devon HA 282 3.9 293 -0.3 292 -0.9 289 0.4 290 0.3 291 0.6 
			 Somerset HA 274 0.7 276 1.3 280 1.9 285 1.4 289 -1.3 285 0.8 
			 South and West Devon HA 345 -0.2 344 0.5 346 -0.7 343 1.0 347 1.7 353 0.5 
			 Wiltshire HA 305 0.0 305 2.6 313 2.4 320 1.3 325 -0.4 324 1.2 
			  
			 West Midlands 
			 Birmingham HA 571 -2.1 558 1.3 566 0.9 571 -0.7 567 -0.8 562 -0.3 
			 Coventry HA 164 -1.4 161 1.0 163 2.2 166 0.4 167 -0.5 166 0.3 
			 Dudley HA 151 2.3 154 1.1 156 -4.1 150 -0.1 149 4.7 156 0.7 
			 Herefordshire HA 96 5.4 101 2.7 104 -3.1 101 0.6 102 0.0 102 1.1 
			 North Staffordshire HA 237 -3.3 229 1.4 232 -0.3 232 -1.7 228 -2.3 222 -1.2 
			 Sandwell HA 150 1.8 153 -1.1 151 4.2 158 -0.5 157 -0.3 157 0.8 
			 Shropshire HA 230 -1.0 227 0.4 228 3.9 237 -2.0 232 0.2 233 0.3 
			 Solihull HA 106 2.3 108 -1.2 107 -1.0 106 2.1 108 -1.7 106 0.1 
			 South Staffordshire HA 267 1.8 272 3.1 280 2.7 288 0.4 289 -1.3 285 1.3 
			 Walsall HA 132 -0.9 131 -1.5 129 1.5 131 -1.3 129 -2.1 127 -0.9 
			 Warwickshire HA 259 0.8 261 -0.7 260 -1.3 256 0.8 258 1.1 261 0.1 
			 Wolverhampton HA 122 1.8 124 -1.8 122 -0.5 121 4.7 127 -2.4 124 0.3 
			 Worcestershire HA 289 0.1 289 1.5 293 1.3 297 -2.8 286 1.9 294 0.4 
			  
			 North West 
			 Bury and Rochdale HA 198 1.2 200 2.1 205 1.3 207 1.0 209 -2.6 204 0.6 
			 East Lancashire HA 282 -5.1 268 1.6 272 -0.4 271 -0.7 269 -0.7 267 -1.1 
			 Liverpool HA 246 1.7 250 -1.5 246 -0.5 245 -0.3 244 -0.1 244 -0.1 
			 Manchester Health 266 -0.6 264 -2.6 258 3.5 267 -1.8 262 0.5 263 -0.2 
			 Morecambe Bay HA 160 11.3 178 2.4 182 -1.4 180 -0.1 179 -1.1 177 2.1 
			 North Cheshire HA 154 -4.8 147 1.5 149 3.5 154 0.3 155 1.7 158 0.4 
			 North West Lancashire HA 238 -1.3 235 2.0 239 -1.2 236 0.5 238 1.4 241 0.3 
			 Salford and Trafford HA 232 -0.5 231 2.0 235 -0.6 234 1.4 237 -4.1 227 -0.4 
			 Sefton HA 142 3.0 146 -0.8 145 0.8 146 -0.2 146 0.7 147 0.7 
			 South Cheshire HA 360 0.4 361 -0.5 360 2.8 370 0.2 370 -1.0 367 0.4 
			 South Lancashire HA 163 -3.5 158 1.5 160 -0.7 159 -1.3 157 1.9 160 -0.5 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley HA 172 1.2 174 0.1 175 0.7 176 -1.5 173 4.6 181 1.0 
			 Stockport Health 149 -1.4 146 1.4 149 3.4 154 -0.9 152 1.9 155 0.9 
			 West Pennine HA 219 2.3 224 0.1 224 -0.1 224 -2.2 219 1.5 222 0.3 
			 Wigan and Bolton HA 282 0.5 284 0.4 285 -2.5 278 1.7 283 -2.8 275 -0.5 
			 Wirral HA 184 1.3 186 0.4 187 0.0 187 2.5 192 -1.5 189 0.5 
			 England Total 26,271 0.3 26,359 0.4 26,455 0.4 26,558 0.0 26,557 0.3 26,628 0.3 
		
	
	(70) NHS Plan GPs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, Salaried Doctors (Para. 52 SFA) and PMS Other.
	(71) WTE data have been estimated using the results from the 1992–93GMP Workload Survey. Full-time = 1.00 wte; three quarter time =0.69 wte, job share = 0.65 wte, half time = 0.60 wte.
	(72) There were 286 LIZ Assistants in the 1996 census, we do not have sufficient details to calculate wte data below a national level. The national total for 1996 has been estimated based onavailable headcount data and a such will not equal the sum of components. Because of this, London data for 1996 and subsequent calculations based on 1996 London data needs to be treated with caution.
	(73) Average annual percentage change 1996–2001.
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.